In a significant development in the cash-for-query scam investigation, the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has reportedly recommended that Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra be expelled from Parliament. The Ethics Committee is reported to have recommended Mahua Moitra’s suspension on the grounds of “unethical conduct” jeopardising national security. It is also reported that the Committee will be recommending against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali, a member of the Ethics Committee, for allegedly trying to manipulate public opinion against the panel.
According to an NDTV report, the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee recommended Mahua Moitra’s expulsion from the parliament in its 500-page report. The TMC MP has also been asked to appear before the panel on Thursday (9th November).
It has been reported that the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha, headed by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, will meet on Thursday to adopt a draft report on the cash-for-query allegation against Mahua Moitra.
This comes after Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai filed a complaint with CBI, accusing Mahua Moitra of corruption, bribery and taking lavish gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for asking Lok Sabha questions targeted on the businesses of Adani Group, Hiranandani’s competitors. Based on Dehadrai’s complaint, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey submitted a formal complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking an inquiry against Moitra. He urged the Speaker for her immediate suspension.
In an interview with Rajdeep Sardesai for IndiaToday, Mahua Moitra admitted sharing her parliament login ID and password with businessman Darshan Hiranandani saying that “it is in no way against the rules.”
It is pertinent to recall that the IT ministry had stated that it had sent a report to the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee confirming that the TMC leader’s parliamentary ID was accessed 49 times from Dubai.
Later, the Ethics Committee of parliament summoned Mahua Moitra for questioning on November 2. The meeting, however, ended abruptly after the TMC MP stormed out. While leaving the meeting, Moitra accused the panel of asking “filthy and personal questions”. The committee, however, refuted her claims saying that she did not cooperate and left to avoid answering more questions. The committee called Mahua Moitra’s conduct “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal” in addition to calling for a time-bound legal and institutional inquiry by the government.
Meanwhile, on 8th November, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said that the anti-corruption body Lokpal has ordered the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) to investigate the cash-for-query scam.
