In a startling development, the Parliamentary Ethics Committee has recommended the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha, following its extensive 500-page investigation into cash-for-query allegations against her. The committee decried Moitra’s actions as “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous, and criminal,” asserting the need for severe punishment.
The report, accessed by NDTV, reveals that Moitra allegedly shared her parliamentary user ID with unauthorized individuals and accepted cash and amenities from businessman Darshan Hiranandani. The committee characterized these actions as a “serious misdemeanour” warranting serious consequences. It further called for a comprehensive “legal, intensive, institutional, and time-bound investigation” into the matter by the government of India.
“The money trail of cash transaction between Smt Mahua Moitra and Shri Darshan Hiranandani as a part of a ‘quid pro quo’ should be investigated by the government of India in a legal, institutional, and time-bound manner,” the report stated.
The Ethics Committee’s findings will be submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker during the upcoming winter session of Parliament, with subsequent actions to be determined after thorough discussion. Mahua Moitra is expected to appear before the committee for further inquiries.
In a previous meeting, Moitra had reportedly walked out, accusing the committee of subjecting her to “proverbial vastraharan (stripping).” The committee, led by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, focused on Moitra’s personal relationship with Hiranandani and raised questions about the complainant, Jai Anant Dehadrai, whose case prompted the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Accusing Moitra of non-cooperation, Sonkar stated, “Mahua Moitra did not cooperate with the committee and the investigation. The Opposition members also made allegations in anger and suddenly walked out of the meeting to avoid answering more questions.”
Additionally, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who initially flagged the matter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, revealed on social media that the Lokpal has ordered a CBI probe into the corruption allegations against Moitra. Dubey had alleged that Moitra accepted cash from Hiranandani to pose questions in Parliament targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group, potentially compromising national security.
Moitra, in response, admitted to sharing her parliamentary login but argued that there were no specific regulations prohibiting such actions. In a letter to the Ethics Committee, she questioned the lack of shared rules with MPs regarding login and password usage.
The unfolding scandal adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing political landscape, raising questions about ethical conduct and accountability within the parliamentary system.
Sources By Agencies
