The Gujarat High Court has dismissed journalist Mahesh Langa’s plea to quash an FIR lodged against him for allegedly possessing and stealing confidential documents linked to the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB).
A bench led by Justice Divyesh A. Joshi ruled that a prima facie case had been established against Langa and emphasized that the investigation was still in its early stages. The court stated that it would be inappropriate to intervene at this juncture, concluding that Langa’s petition lacked merit.
The case stems from the discovery of sensitive GMB documents during an investigation into an unrelated FIR. Authorities claim that these documents were recovered from Langa’s premises, prompting an internal GMB inquiry, which concluded that they had been illicitly obtained, possibly with insider involvement.
Langa faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for criminal breach of trust and theft, as well as allegations under the Prevention of Corruption Act. His legal team, led by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, argued that he was not originally named in the FIR and was arrested on speculative grounds. Sibal also pointed out that no GMB officials had been taken into custody, suggesting that the case was being unfairly directed at Langa.
The prosecution, represented by Additional Advocate General Mitesh Amin, countered that the documents found at Langa’s residence were highly sensitive and that the case warranted thorough investigation. Amin stressed that an FIR is meant to trigger an inquiry, not to present conclusive evidence, and urged the court to allow the legal process to unfold.
Ultimately, the court refused to interfere, reaffirming that judicial intervention should be exercised sparingly and only in cases of clear injustice. With the investigation ongoing, Langa remains under scrutiny as authorities probe the origins of the leaked documents.