SC grants interim bail to journalist Mahesh Langa
The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim bail to journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case linked to an alleged financial fraud matter lodged by the Enforcement Directorate at Ahmedabad.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pamcholi also ordered a day-to-day trial in the case by a special court and asked the journalist not to take any adjournments in the hearing.
The top court asked Langa not to write any article in the newspaper about the sub-judice case against him.
The bench said that if there is any violation of the order, it may consider cancellation of the bail.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, opposed the bail, saying that a journalist extorting money was a serious offence and he did not deserve bail. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for the journalist.
The bench has now fixed the plea of hearing on January 6, when the ED has to file a status report on the compliance of the bail conditions by Langa.
The charges are yet to be framed in the case in which the ED has made nine witnesses.
On July 31, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa’s bail plea in the money laundering case on the grounds that if released on bail, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution's case.
On February 25, the ED said it arrested Langa in a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
He was first arrested in October 2024 in a GST fraud case.
The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by Ahmedabad police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.
