Journalist Mahesh Langa and other persons arrested for their alleged involvement in a Goods and Services Tax-related scam were sent to 10-day police remand by an Ahmedabad court on Thursday, The Hindu reported.
Mahesh Langa works with The Hindu newspaper in Ahmedabad.
The police said in its remand application that custodial interrogation of the accused was required to uncover the conspiracy behind the alleged fraud.
Mahesh Langa and others were arrested after the Crime Branch, Economic Offences Wing and Special Operations Group of the Gujarat Police raided 14 locations in the state on Monday.
This came on a complaint by the Central Goods and Services Tax department, the Crime Branch had said.
The complaint pertains to an alleged scam in which several bogus companies are said to have been floated to “defraud the government exchequer by availing bogus input tax credit”, said the release.
Ajit Rajian, deputy commissioner of police at the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, told The Hindu that Mahesh Langa’s wife had been named as the promoter of one such allegedly bogus firm suspected of creating fake bills.
Mahesh Langa’s lawyer Vedanta Rajguru maintained that the journalist is neither a director nor a promoter of the company, which is mentioned in the first information report, the newspaper reported.
However, the police allege that Mahesh Langa managed the company using the names of his wife and relatives.
The company is owned by Mahesh Langa’s relative Manoj Langa and the former’s wife is a silent partner with no rights to conduct transactions or access bank accounts, The Hindu reported.
“The police case hinges on a statement made by Manoj Langa that he carried out the transactions on the instructions of Mahesh Langa,” Rajguru told the newspaper. “There is no transaction, signature in Mahesh’s name.”
The police claimed that the journalist was unable to explain the Rs 20 lakh found at his residence.
His lawyer, however, claimed that the money was kept for financial emergencies and was unrelated to the alleged scam.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!