"Cash-For-Query" Allegations Against TMC MP Mahua Moitra Referred To Lok Sabha Ethics Committee

The complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey regarding the "cash-for-query" accusation against Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has been forwarded to the Lok Sabha ethics committee, NDTV reported.

Nishikant Dubey alleges that Mahua Moitra accepted bribes to pose questions in parliament on behalf of businessman Darshan Hiranandani, with the aim of targeting the Adani group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a letter addressed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday (15 October), the BJP MP accuses Moitra of breaching parliamentary privilege, contempt of the House, and criminal conspiracy. Moitra has welcomed any inquiry into the matter.

The Hiranandani Group, accused by Dubey, denies the allegations, asserting that they are without merit. They emphasise their commitment to business rather than politics and state that their group has consistently collaborated with the government in the nation's interest.

Dubey claims that Darshan Hiranandani paid Moitra Rs 2 crore and provided gifts such as an expensive iPhone, along with Rs 75 lakh for contesting elections.

According to him, Moitra's questions were geared towards favoring the business interests of the Hiranandani Group, which lost an energy and infra contract to the Adani Group.

Between 2019 and 2023, out of the 61 questions raised by Mahua Moitra, 50 were allegedly prompted by Darshan Hiranandani. Dubey asserts that Moitra granted the businessman access to her Lok Sabha account, where questions were directly posted by Hiranandani or Moitra herself.

Allegedly, Moitra has raised inquiries concerning the supply of oil and gas from Paradip and Dhamra Port, the urea subsidy, the impact of steel prices on real estate, and the authority of the Income Tax Department. It is claimed that opposition parties followed her lead.

In his communication, Dubey also mentioned the 2005 cash-for-questions scandal, in which 11 MPs were suspended within a "record time of 23 days." He asserted that the present situation is nothing more than a "re-emergence of the cash-for-query" scenario.

Refuting Dubey's accusations, Moitra states that there are multiple breach of privileges pending against other BJP leaders and welcomes any motions against her after those are addressed by the Speaker.

On Monday, Union Minister for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar cited questions raised by Moitra on the subject of data protection, receiving queries from the Hiranandani Group as well.

Moitra deems Chandrasekhar's comments an insult to her intelligence, emphasising that the questions she asked as a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Data Protection were pertinent to all Indians.

Adani Group too responded on these allegations and said, "Some groups have been working overtime to harm our name, goodwill and market standing," in a media statement.