'Cash For Query' Row: Disqualification On The Cards For Mahua Moitra As Parliamentary Ethics Panel Concludes Inquiry

The Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee has scheduled a meeting for tomorrow, 7 November, to discuss and approve its draft report on the 'cash-for-query' accusation against TMC MP Mahua Moitra by BJP's Nishikant Dubey.

The meeting for adopting the draft report signifies the completion of the BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar headed committee's investigation. The panel will now be making its recommendation in the matter.

The panel is expected to recommend strict actions against Moitra, which might include her disqualification for the remaining Lok Sabha sessions, Hindustan Times reported citing functionaries.

The panel could reportedly take inspiration from a similar case in 2005, where all 11 Members of Parliament who were suspected of receiving money in exchange for their questions were disqualified.

On 2 November, the opposition members accused the chief of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee panel of posing personal and unethical questions to TMC MP Mahua Moitra during the proceedings of the case.

All five Opposition members of the ethics committee stormed out of its meeting on 2 November along with Moitra, alleging that Sonkar asked her personal and indecent questions regarding her travels, hotel stays and telephone calls.

Moitra was summoned to attend a committee hearing in order to respond to allegations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai.

Moitra, who recently testified before the Ethics Committee, has now accused the BJP of plotting to file "criminal cases" against her.

Taking to X, Moitra wrote, "Shaking in my skin to know BJP planning criminal cases against me. Welcome them - only know that CBI and ED need to file FIR against Adani for Rs. 13,0000 crore coal scam before they question how many pairs of shoes I have.

In another tweet, she wrote, “Also BJP - before you push out women MPs with fake narrative remember I have EXACT transcript of record in Ethics Committee verbatim. Chairman's cheap, sordid, irrelevant questions, Opposition's protests, my protests - all there in official black & white."

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has accused Moitra of posing questions in Lok Sabha with the intention of targeting the Adani Group, allegedly in exchange for bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani.

Dubey claims that Hiranandani used Moitra's parliamentary login ID to submit questions from various locations, primarily Dubai.

Moitra has admitted that he used her login details but has rejected any pecuniary considerations, asserting that most MPs share their login credentials with others.