Cash-for-query case: Mahua Moitra to appear before ethics panel today

NEW DELHI, Nov 1: Ahead of her appearance before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee probing the
cash-for-query allegations against her, TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday shared a copy of the
letter written by her to the panel.
Moitra, who has been at the centre of a political storm after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok
Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging she took bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target
the Adani Group, will appear before the panel on November 2.
Sharing the letter dated October 31 on X, Moitra said, “Since Ethics Committee deemed it fit to
release my summons to the media I think it is important I too release my letter to the Committee
before my “hearing” tomorrow”.
In the letter, Moitra said she will appear before the panel on November 2 and will “demolish” the
complaint of cash-for-query against her.
She stated in the letter that parliamentary committees lack criminal jurisdiction and emphasised the
importance of involving law enforcement agencies in such cases.
Moitra also expressed her desire to cross-examine alleged “bribe-giver,” Hiranandani, who
submitted an affidavit to the committee “without offering substantial evidence”.
The Lok Sabha MP also sought to cross-examine the complainant, Jai Anant Dehadral, who she
claimed provided no documentary evidence to support the charges.
“In light of the seriousness of the allegations, it is imperative that the alleged ‘bribe-giver’ Darshan
Hiranandani, who has given a ‘suo-moto’ affidavit to the Committee with scant details and no
documentary evidence whatsoever, be called to depose before the Committee and provide the said
evidence in the form of a documented itemised inventory with amounts, date etc,” she said.
“I wish to place on record that in keeping with the principles of natural justice I wish to exercise my
right to cross-examine Hiranandani,” she said.
Moitra highlighted that an inquiry without allowing her the opportunity to cross-examine would be
“incomplete and unfair”.
Highlighting the absence of a structured Code of Conduct for members, she emphasised the need for
objectivity and fairness in addressing individual cases and avoiding political partisanship in the
committee.
Moitra also raised concerns about what she claimed were “double standards” of the Ethics
Committee in issuing a summons.
She said the panel has adopted a very different approach in the case of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri who
has a “very serious complaint of hate speech” pending against him with the Privileges and Ethics
branch.
Bidhuri was summoned on October 10 to provide oral evidence but he expressed his inability to
depose as he was away campaigning in Rajasthan, she said. (PTI)