'Cash-For-Query' Row: TMC MP Mahua Moitra Summoned By Ethics Committee On October 31

BJP parliamentarian and the complainant in the matter Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai recorded their statements before the panel.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha on Thursday called Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra to appear before it on October 31 as the panel held the first meeting related to a "cash-for-query" complaint against her.

BJP parliamentarian and the complainant in the matter Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai recorded their statements before the panel today.

Speaking to reporters, the Chairman of Parliament Ethics Committee, Vinod Sonkar said, "The two people who were summoned today - the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey - were heard attentively. After that, it was decided that Mahua Moitra would be called on 31st October. She will come and present her part. The committee has also decided that IT Ministry and MHA will be sent letters to make her details available."

#WATCH | Delhi | Chairman of Parliament Ethics Committee, Vinod Sonkar says, "...Committee heard both the people who were summoned today - the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey. Their evidence were looked into. Looking into the seriousness of it, the Committee decided to summon Mahua… pic.twitter.com/w9oT18rvwJ

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2023

Meanwhile, after appearing before the Ethics Committee over the 'cash-for-query' row, Nishikant Dubey said, “Now the Ethics Committee (of the Lok Sabha) will decide (on the issue) and we'll come whenever we will be called. Everything was cordial (during the meeting)."

Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, who also appeared before the panel today, said that everything was very cordial and they were very pleasant to him. "Some questions were put to me and I have answered those questions,” he added.

VIDEO | “Everything was very cordial and they were very pleasant. Some questions were put to me and I have answered those questions,” says Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai after appearing before the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha on 'cash-for-query' row.

READ: Cash-for-query row:… pic.twitter.com/lZBEEBzGWj

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 26, 2023

The panel's schedule for Thursday said, "Oral Evidence of Shri Jai Anant Dehadrai, Advocate in respect of complaint dated 15 October, 2023 given by Dr. Nishikant Dubey, MP against Smt. Mahua Moitra, MP for alleged direct involvement in cash for query in Parliament. Oral evidence of Dr. Nishikant Dubey, MP, in respect of complaint dated 15 October, 2023 given by him against Smt. Mahua Moitra, MP for alleged direct involvement in cash for query in Parliament."

Notably, in his complaint, Dubey cited documents shared by Dehadrai with "irrefutable evidence of bribes exchanged" between the TMC leader and businessman Darshan Hiranandani, CEO of real estate-to-energy group Hiranandani, to allegedly target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, Hiranandani admitted that Moitra targeted Gautam Adani to "malign and embarrass" PM Modi.

The Lok Sabha ethics committee is headed by BJP parliamentarian Vinod Kumar Sonkar. The panel also includes Vishnu Datt Sharma, Aparajita Sarangi, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Sunita Duggal, among others.