Press bodies condemn FIR against ‘The Hindu’ journalist for allegedly possessing confidential papers

Several press bodies on Monday condemned the first information report filed against The Hindu journalist Mahesh Langa for allegedly possessing confidential government documents pertaining to the Gujarat Maritime Board.

A joint statement by the Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Association, Delhi Union of Journalists and Kerala Union of Working Journalists issued through the Press Club of India demanded that the case against Langa be withdrawn and the authorities stop harassing him.

The Gujarat Police registered the first information report against Langa, who works with The Hindu in Ahmedabad, on October 22. The case was filed while the journalist was already in judicial custody in a separate case concerning an alleged Goods and Services Tax-related scam.

The police said that documents related to the Gujarat Maritime Board were recovered from Langa’s possession during his arrest in the other matter on October 7.

“It is shocking that the mere possession of documents can be used by the state to register an FIR against a citizen and in this case, a journalist of considerable standing,” the joint statement read.

Journalist bodies condemn hounding of journalist Mahesh Langa.

We — IWPC, Press Association, Delhi Union of Journalists and Kerala Union of Working Journalists, —condemn the registration of a second FIR by
the Gujarat police against senior journalist Mahesh Langa in a span of…...

Read more