Senior journalist Mahesh Langa, currently lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail, has been booked in another case by Ahmedabad City Police. Langa was booked on Thursday for allegedly extorting Rs 40 lakh from a land broker. This is the fifth FIR and sixth investigation against the journalist, considering the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case pertaining to money laundering. The FIR, filed at Satellite police station in Ahmedabad, was based on a complaint by Janak Arjun Thakor, 32, a farmer and land broker based in Daskroi, Ahmedabad. The FIR stated that in 2020, Thakor came in touch with a man named Mukesh Bharwad, also a social activist and land broker “like him”. About one-and-a-half years ago, during one of his meetings with him at a coffee shop in Bodakdev, Bharwad introduced him to Langa. The FIR stated that Langa introduced himself as “a man with political connections and a senior assistant editor with a prominent daily newspaper”. Langa allegedly told Thakor that he, too, was involved in the land brokerage business, according to the FIR. The FIR stated that Langa told him that he was aware of several disputed properties that he could help Thakor purchase at a cheaper rate “due to his influence”. The FIR accused Langa of sharing with Thakor that he earned 5-10% commissions on such properties. Langa allegedly asked Thakor to bring “any such matters” to him, assuring that he would give the broker a share of the commissions, the FIR said. Thakor alleged in the FIR that Langa also promised to make him a prominent builder and help him bring out an IPO for his company. Thakor claimed in the FIR that he gave Langa cash on a number of occasions in the hope of the promised returns. In January 2024, Langa allegedly told Thakor that “he was preparing a story on GIFT City in Gandhinagar for The Hindu newspaper”, as per the FIR. The FIR stated that Langa promised to mention Thakor in this story, assuring him that it would help land him better deals. Thakor stated in the FIR that he kept giving Langa money whenever he asked for it. The FIR alleged Thakor had paid Langa about Rs 20 lakh by this time. Thakor alleged in the FIR that his name and “social activism” appeared in a story published on January 26, 2024. After this, the FIR stated, Langa's behaviour towards Thakor changed and he demanded another Rs 20 lakh from him in lieu of publication of his name in the story. When Thakor refused, Langa allegedly threatened him with causing him losses in his land-brokering business “due to his influence” and publishing false articles against him on the newspaper to defame him, the FIR stated. Thakor alleged in the FIR that Langa caused him losses in his business and threatened him with further losses. The FIR stated that on July 23, 2024, in the fear of suffering more losses, Thakor took a loan of Rs 20 lakh from his friend and gave it to Langa upon the assurance that he would no longer “cause losses” to the broker. Thakor stated in the FIR that he did not take legal action against Langa fearing his reputation but had come forward after learning about the other cases against him. Langa has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 308(2) for extortion.
