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The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim bail to senior journalist Mahesh Langa in connection with an alleged fraud case amounting to Rs 7 crores initiated by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi has requested the trial court to conduct the trial proceedings in the matter on a day-to-day basis and examine all nine witnesses without granting adjournments merely because an application seeking quashing of the case is pending before the High Court, particularly since the High Court has not granted any stay. The Court also clarified that Langa remains at liberty to raise all permissible contentions before the Special Trial Court. Further, the Supreme Court has restrained Langa, in his capacity as a reporter or editor, from publishing or writing anything concerning the allegations that are sub judice (pending to be adjudicated) before the Special PMLA Court at Ahmedabad. The Court has listed the matter to be heard next on January 6, 2026. Langa approached the top court after his plea seeking interim bail was rejected by the Gujarat High Court in July. In February, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Gujarat-based journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case. The Gujarat Police in January had registered a case against Langa for allegedly extorting Rs 40 lakh from a real estate agent by threatening to malign his image and implicate him in a false case. (ANI)
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