Sunday, November 3, 2024

Former chairperson of The Hindu Group blasts Editors Guild for supporting The Hindu journalist Mahesh Langa, who is under arrest in a GST scam case

Malini Parthasarathy, the former chairperson of The Hindu Group, lashed out at the Editors Guild for supporting The Hindu journalist Mahesh Langa after an FIR was filed against him for allegedly possessing some confidential documents of the Gujarat Maritime Board.

“To cry foul when a journalist is arrested on what are evidently serious charges that require investigation & to allege that this is a case of an attack on the freedom of the press is wrong & does injustice to the essence of journalism-the pursuit of truth,” Ms Parthasarthy said.

“No journalist is above the law. Press associations and journalists do no favour to this great profession by shielding journalists from accountability for their actions that have nothing to do with the publications they work for. The two FIRs against Mahesh Langa are not filed based on reports he filed @the_hindu and are for other charges that require further investigation,” she added.

Ms Parthasarathy said it was unfortunate that an incident involving an individual should not be mischaracterised as an attack on press freedom or a violation of journalistic rights. She questioned how the individual’s freedom of expression is compromised and emphasised that true respect for press freedom should not protect individuals from legal accountability for their actions.

“Journalists must stay true to the canons of reporting, maintain distance from their news sources, to ensure transparency in their dealings with business & political contacts so that the content they offer the public is untainted by commercial considerations,” Ms Parthasarathy stated.

“Reporters & editors must welcome such investigations into their dealings, it will enhance their moral credibility when they come out unscathed. The respect that journalism as a profession commands and the trust that millions of readers & users place in our news content deserve the highest standards of probity. Nothing less,” she added.

Her tweet was in response to a press statement released by the Editors Guild over the FIR filed against Mr Mahesh Langa. Mr Langa was arrested by the Crime Branch On 8th October as part of the GST scam investigation. 

The District Crime Branch (DCB) informed the court that over 200 illegally formed companies and organizations nationwide, working in a coordinated manner, were involved in this scam by taking advantage of fake Input Tax Credits (ITC). 

Several surprising revelations have emerged about Mahesh Langa, a journalist for The Hindu, who is implicated in a GST fraud case. Reports suggest that he led a lifestyle far beyond his salary, amassing crores of rupees over the past two years.

Reports indicate that Mahesh leveraged his position as a journalist to engage in blackmail, settlements, and illicit business activities, reportedly earning millions through these means. 

Additionally, his name has surfaced concerning the leak of sensitive government documents, and an FIR has been filed in Gandhinagar regarding this matter.

Despite an annual salary reportedly only in the lakhs, a recent Ahmedabad Crime Branch search at his home uncovered Rs 20 lakhs in cash. Police also recovered expensive jewellery and documents related to property holdings.