'Cash For Query' Row: Mahua Moitra To Appear Before Parliamentary Ethics Committee Today

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra will appear before the parliamentary Ethics Committee today in the 'cash-for-query' case.

She has refuted the briber allegations, but admitted to sharing parliamentary login with businessman Darshan Hiranandani.

Mahua Moitra will reportedly be questioned based on reports that the Ethics Committee has obtained from three Union ministries, in addition to various other documents and pieces of evidence, NDTV reported citing sources.

The reports from Home, Information Technology and External Affairs ministries are with the committee. The committee had sought information from the three ministries after a meeting held on 26 October.

The panel, among other things, had questioned if the IP addresses of her logins and her locations were the same.

The allegations against the Trinamool MP have intensified following the affidavit of Darshan Hiranandani.

The businessman has remained silent regarding the bribery claims but has confessed to using Mahua Moitra's parliamentary login to submit questions.

Should this be proven, it would constitute a violation of Parliamentary Privilege, which could be grounds for her expulsion from the House.

In the letter to the Committee which she posted on X, Mahua Moitra said she should be allowed to cross-examine Hiranandani.

The Ethics Committee hearing is a fallout of a complaint by the BJP MP Nishikant Dubey who alleged that Moitra has accepted cash from Hiranandani to ask questions in Parliament on his behalf to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business rival Adani Group.

In his affidavit, Hiranandani said he had given the gifts Moitra demanded to stay in her good books and get her help to expand his business in Opposition-ruled states.

He said Moitra wanted to politically target PM Modi through the Adani Group.

Moitra has alleged the Prime Minister's Office "held a proverbial gun" to his head and made him sign the "white paper".

Earlier on 26 October, the Ethics Committee had cross-examined Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, on whose complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation the entire case rests.

The Committee has also heard Dubey and is expected to give its report to the Lok Sabha Speaker as soon as possible.