Mahesh Langa granted bail in GST case

The court said that there is no material on record to establish “money laundering”.

It added that the applicant has been arrested in connection with the present offence on October 8, 2024. “Thus, the investigation of the offence alleged against the present applicant is virtually over by now. Having regard to the same, the present application deserves consideration,” said the order by Justice M.R Mengdey.

Mr. Langa was represented by his counsel A.J. Yagnik.

The FIR registered by Gujarat Police in October 2024 stated that the alleged fraud was committed between February 1 and May 1, 2023 and the prime accused is Dhruvi Enterprise, which allegedly created six firms from a single PAN to transfer and receive bogus input tax credit of GST to unscrupulous recipients by issuance of fake invoices without the supply of underlying goods. DA Enterprise, run by Mr. Langa is one of the companies mentioned in the FIR.

The court said, “It is the case of prosecution that one firm viz. Dhruvi Enterprise had been floated on the basis of forged and fictitious rent agreement. The present applicant and the other co-accused had purchased invoices from the said Dhruvi Enterprise though there was no transaction between them. These invoices were forged and fictitious and on the basis of those forged and fictitious invoices, the applicant had wrongfully availed the input tax credit. The applicant shown willingness to repay the amount of Input Tax Credit wrongfully availed.”

The court added: “In the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the nature of the allegations made against the applicant in the FIR, without discussing the evidence in detail, prima facie, this Court is of the opinion that this is a fit case to exercise the discretion and enlarge the applicant on regular bail.”

Earlier in November, a sessions court in Ahmedabad granted anticipatory bail to Mr. Langa in an alleged case of cheating of ₹28 lakh.