Gujarat Police, ED allege Mahesh Langa received Rs 18 crore, had luxury lifestyle

New Delhi: Social media on Sunday was abuzz with the revelations of wealth and luxury lifestyle The Hindu journalist Mahesh Langa had.

Prompted by a complaint from the Central GST department, Langa was apprehended after a series of raids across multiple cities in Gujarat. 

The investigations by the Gujarat Police and Enforcement Directorate revealed a lifestyle that seemed disproportionate to his reported income.

Despite an annual salary of around 18 lakhs from The Hindu, approximately 20 lakhs in cash was allegedly seized from Langa's residence.

The investigators claimed that Langa allegedly received over Rs 18 crore over the past two years. 

His spending habits included staying at luxury hotels like the Oberoi and Taj Man Singh more than 98 times without personal payment.

Langa reportedly hosted a birthday party at a high-end banquet, paying Rs 5 lakh in advance, and distributed gold coins to guests, an expenditure far beyond what his official earnings would justify.

His frequent use of chartered flights for travel further highlighted his opulent lifestyle.

Investigations have unearthed that Langa used his father's name to establish shell companies, which were allegedly involved in fraudulent activities.

It is alleged that Langa obtained government documents, which he used not for publication but to blackmail officials. Although these documents did not contain incriminating evidence against the government, they were purportedly used to exert influence over certain officers.

Both his wife and brother have reportedly provided statements against him, indicating family awareness or involvement in his financial discrepancies.

Some factions, particularly from the left-wing spectrum, have portrayed Langa as a victim of political vendetta, arguing that his arrest is an attack on journalistic freedom. They question the motives behind the timing and nature of the allegations against him.

Conversely, others in the media and public space are calling for a reassessment of journalistic ethics, pointing out that such lavish lifestyles funded by undisclosed means tarnish the profession's credibility.

The Gujarat Police, along with the Enforcement Directorate, are deepening their probe looking into the financial transactions and the network behind these shell companies.