SC grants interim bail to Gujarat-based journalist in money-laundering case

New Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) The Supreme Court granted interim bail to journalist Mahesh Langa on Monday in a money-laundering case linked to a matter involving an alleged financial fraud lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at Ahmedabad.

The bail proceedings before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi witnessed sharp exchanges between Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the court on behalf of the ED, and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented Langa.

Opposing the bail plea, the solicitor general said, "Journalists extorting money and saying that if you do not pay, I will write against you is a serious offence." He sought an opportunity to argue against the bail plea on Tuesday and said he can satisfy the bench about the involvement of an amount of Rs 1 crore.

"Considering the facts, I would have wished that your lordships allowed me to raise the arguments. Once he is out, it is as good as the SLP (special leave petition) is allowed," Mehta said.

"Industrialists targeting journalists is also serious," Sibal replied.

The bench proceeded to grant bail to Langa.

Allowing the relief, the bench ordered a day-to-day trial in the case and imposed certain conditions on the journalist, including asking him not to write any article in any media outlet about his sub-judice case and seek any adjournments before the special court.

"The petitioner will furnish the bail bonds to the satisfaction of the designated special court under the PMLA," it said, adding, "The special court is directed to take up the case on a day-to-day basis for consideration of charge and if charge is framed, recording the statements of all the nine witnesses." The bench directed Langa and his counsel in the trial court to extend "full cooperation to the special court", and said "no adjournment shall be sought or permitted on the ground that quashing proceedings are separately pending before the high court".

It said this condition is being imposed as the high court has not granted a stay on the trial proceedings.

"The Directorate of Enforcement shall also cooperate with the special judge for taking up the case on a day-to-day basis," the apex court said.

Langa will be at liberty to raise all legal contentions, objections and defence pleas, and place the material for the special court's consideration in accordance with law, it added.

"The petitioner shall not publish or write any article in his position as an assistant editor of a newspaper with respect to the allegations, which are sub-judice against him, before the special judge at Ahmedabad," the bench said.

It also made it clear that the interim bail is being granted subject to the petitioner's "good conduct and behaviour".

The court asked the ED to file a status report with respect to the compliance of the conditions by Langa and listed the plea for further consideration on January 6.

During the brief hearing, Mehta blamed Langa for the delay in the case at the trial stage as he had been seeking adjournments of the charge-hearing on the ground that his plea seeking the quashing of the proceedings was pending.

Sibal countered the solicitor, saying the ED was not supplying the documents sought by Langa.

Mehta opposed the contention.

Sibal also disputed the amount involved in the case.

The court said it will not go into this aspect since it is a subject matter of the trial.

The charges are yet to be framed in the case, in which the ED has named nine witnesses.

On July 31, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa's bail plea in the case on the ground that if he is granted the relief, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.

On February 25, the ED said it arrested Langa in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.

The journalist was first arrested in October 2024 in a Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud case.

The money-laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by the Ahmedabad Police on the charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people. PTI SJK RC