Gujarat journalist Mahesh Langa arrested in GST fraud case; Rs 20 lakh in cash seized

PTC News Desk: The Ahmedabad Crime Branch made a significant arrest on Tuesday, apprehending senior journalist Mahesh Langa in connection with a major GST fraud case. Authorities recovered Rs 20 lakh in cash, along with gold jewelry and land papers, during a search of Langa’s residence.

The arrest followed a series of coordinated raids conducted by the Crime Branch at 14 locations across several cities, including Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Surat, Kheda, and Bhavnagar. These actions were initiated after a complaint from the Central GST department, which had been investigating the matter.

According to the Crime Branch, the investigation revealed that over 200 fake companies were allegedly involved in defrauding the government through fraudulent input tax credits. These companies reportedly employed forged identities and documents to facilitate the evasion of duties, creating an elaborate network of deception.

In their findings, the Central GST discovered forged documents linked to Langa’s wife and father, which were used for suspicious transactions tied to these fake companies. The Crime Branch stated, “Initial findings suggest a large-scale conspiracy aimed at defrauding the government of significant revenue, potentially amounting to crores of rupees, through fake billing, fraudulent documentation, and misrepresentation.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ajit Rajian confirmed that Langa, who is employed by The Hindu newspaper, was arrested after a thorough questioning process. The investigation has also led to the registration of an FIR against multiple individuals and entities, including Dhruvi Enterprise, Om Construction, Raj Infra, Haresh Construction Company, and DA Enterprise, as part of the ongoing case.

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