Journalist Mahesh Langa moves Gujarat HC against 10-day police remand in alleged GST fraud case
Ahmedabad: Mahesh Langa, Senior Assistant Editor at The Hindu, has approached the Gujarat High Court challenging the 10-day police remand granted by a magisterial court in an alleged Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud case.
Langa was taken into custody on October 7, following a complaint by the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI), which accused him of being involved in a scheme of fraudulent firms defrauding the government by availing bogus Input Tax Credit.
A single judge bench of Justice Sandeep N Bhatt heard the matter on October 11 and asked the state's counsel to obtain instructions, listing the matter for further hearing on October 14. During the hearing, Langa’s counsel, senior advocate Jal Unwala, argued that the magistrate had granted the remand without assessing the need for it, despite Langa not being named in the FIR.
The plea argues that the magistrate’s order was a "verbatim reproduction" of the investigating officer’s remand application, lacking independent application of mind. Langa's counsel contended that he had no connection with the fraudulent firms, and the Investigating Officer had not provided any evidence linking him to the transactions.
Langa remains in police custody until October 18.
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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
