Ahmedabad: Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ahmedabad Zonal Office has filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) against Mahesh Prabhudan Langa under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, before the Special Court (PMLA), Ahmedabad on 17.04.2025. The Court has taken cognizance of the PC on 17.04.2025, said an official statement on Monday.

ED initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by the DCB Police Station, Ahmedabad City, for cheating and criminal breach of trust. Further, another FIR was also registered against Langa by the Satellite Police Station, Ahmedabad, for extortion. Subsequently, Langa was arrested under Section 19 of PMLA, 2002 by ED in the matter, and he is presently in judicial custody.

ED investigation revealed that Langa, who had been working as an Assistant Editor for The Hindu newspaper in Gujarat, is involved in cheating and extortion of money by leveraging his alleged connections in the media. He threatened to tarnish the complainants’ reputations by publishing defamatory news articles unless they paid him large sums of money. This form of media manipulation was found central to his extortion activities, which caused an undue loss to the tune of lakhs of rupees to various individuals. Accordingly, ED conducted an investigation, which established the trail of proceeds of crime generated by Langa, and the same was attached vide Provisional Attachment Order dated 09.04.2025. The assets include immovable property in the form of an office located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Further investigation is under progress. DeshGujarat