The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha will take a decision on summoning TMC MP Mahua Moitra and others named in the letter sent to the panel by businessman Darshan Hiranandani, claiming that the TMC leader gave him access to her Parliament login ID and password, after examining the evidence presented by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai on October 26.
The committee has asked Dubey and Dehadrai to appear before it with oral evidence supporting their allegations that Moitra was asking questions in the Lok Sabha “in return for favours and gifts from Hiranandani” and had even “allowed him access to her Parliament login ID and password”.
The panel will examine the evidence and then decide who else to summon for examination, The Indian Express has learnt.
The controversy surrounding the charges against Moitra showed no signs of abating with Dehadrai claiming on X that he was being coerced to withdraw his complaint in exchange for Moitra’s dog, Henry, over whom they are engaged in a custody battle. “An attempt was made yesterday afternoon to coerce me into withdrawing my CBI complaint and letter to Nishikant Dubey in exchange for Henry. I flatly refused – will give details to CBI. Messenger is totally innocent – but tells you everything about her.”
Dubey immediately took to X, tagging the Lok Sabha Speaker and the TMC handle, and alleged that Moitra was putting pressure on Dehadrai.
In a post in the evening, Dubey compared Moitra to JMM general secretary Pankaj Mishra. “There was a JMM general secretary Pankaj Mishra. He used to say daily via newspapers, tweets and social media that the CBI and ED are welcome. One day an agency indeed came and he has been in jail for two years now. The same kind of passion is now being seen in someone who procured LV and Gucci through extortion. Is another Pankaj ready?”
In another post, he seemed to address the people of West Bengal and also contrast Moitra with her party chief Mamata Banerjee. “The MP whose party leader wears only saree and slippers, forces her friends to gift her LV and Gucci and then talks about Bengali culture,” he said, adding that “he understood Bengal as his maternal aunt was the queen of Mahishadal state in Bengal”.
Moitra too remained active on X, offering to answer questions posed by the CBI and the Ethics Committee, while also attacking the panel. “I welcome answering questions to CBI and Ethics Committee (which has absolute majority of BJP members) if and when they call me. I have neither time nor interest to feed an Adani-driven media circus trial or answer BJP trolls. I am enjoying Durga Puja in Nadia. Shubho Sashthi.”
Two hours later, she put out another post on X: “Chairman Ethics Committee openly speaks to media. Please see Lok Sabha rules… How does ‘affidavit’ find its way to media? Chairman should first do enquiry into how it was leaked. I repeat – BJP 1-point agenda is to expel me from LS and shut me up on Adani.”
Source: The Indian Express
