Media bodies slam Journalist Mahesh Langa's arrest, term it 'overreach'
New Delhi, Oct 10: Media organisations on Thursday expressed concern over the arrest and ten-day custody of journalist Mahesh Langa by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, terming his interrogation a "procedural overreach".
In a joint statement, Press Club of India, Delhi Union of Journalists, Indian Women's Press Corps and Press Association said his questioning was "perhaps" a means to harass an individual whose name doesn't even feature in the primary FIR.
Langa, arrested for his alleged involvement in a GST evasion case, is a "well- known and fearless journalist" with a career of employment in many reputed publications.
"His reports on developments related to Gujarat have been widely appreciated," the press bodies said.
They said, according to available details, Langa is neither the director nor a promoter of the company that finds mention in the FIR filed on the complaint of the Directorate General of GST Intelligence Unit, Ahmedabad, and no transaction and signature was found in his name.
"Even as the law should be allowed to take its own course, we feel that the custodial interrogation of Mahesh Langa is a procedural overreach and perhaps a means to harass an individual whose name doesn't even feature in the primary FIR," they said.
"Whereas getting to the bottom of the issue is important, we feel that due process should not be compromised and accused persons not unduly harassed under the pretext of extended custodial interrogation," they added.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested Langa, a senior journalist in Gujarat.
On Monday, the city Crime Branch registered an FIR against several persons and entities after getting a complaint from central GST over an alleged scam involving shell firms set up to defraud the government through bogus input tax credit and fraudulent transactions, a release by the Crime Branch said.
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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.
