Mahua Moitra seeks to appear before ethics panel after Nov 5, wants to ‘cross-examine’ businessman

Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra has sought more time to appear before ethics panel and said she wants to ‘cross-examine’ a businessman as part of the 'cash for query' row. 

"Chairman, Ethics Comm announced my 31/10 summons on live TV way before official letter emailed to me at 19:20 hrs. All complaints & suo moto affidavits also released to media. I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre- scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4," said Moitra on X platform (formerly Twitter).

"I look forward to deposing (before the Ethics Committee of Parliament) immediately after my pre-scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4," she said.

In a letter to panel chairperson Vinod Kumar Sonkar, she said, “I look very much forward to appearing before the Committee at any date chosen by you after November 5, 2023.” Moitra, in a post on X a day after Sonkar announced that she has been summoned on October 31, said she eagerly look forward to physically attending and presenting her defence against the slanderous charges, but is busy till November 4 on account of Durga Puja celebrations going on in West Bengal.

Moitra pointed out that she had written to the committee expressing “eagerness” to be given “a fair hearing and an adequate opportunity to defend myself against the false, malicious and defamatory accusations levelled against me by Shri Dubey and Shri Dehadrai.” “The Committee against the order of natural justice, if I may humbly add- summoned and heard the complainants Shri Dubai & Shri Dehadrai on 26/10/2023 before allowing me, the alleged accused, a chance to be heard,” she said.  “I represent the state of West Bengal where Durga Puja is the biggest festival. I am already committed to attending numerous pre-scheduled Vijaya Dashami Sammelans/meetings (both government and political) in my constituency from 30th October to 4th November 2023 and cannot be in Delhi on 31st October 2023,” she said.

 “Therefore, I request to be given time to appear in person before the committee at any date and time of the committee’s choice after 5th November 2023. As a recent example, Shri Ramesh Biduri, MP who was summoned by the Privileges Committee on 10/10/23 requested more time since he had pre-fixed political meetings in Rajasthan and was accorded a similar courtesy by this same branch,” she said.  Moitra said she has an “impeccable record of personal integrity”, adding that she is “a vocal member of the Opposition responsible for raising my voice against various corporate scams”.

The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha has asked the TMC MP to appear before it on October 31 in relation to cash-for-query allegations levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who told the panel on Thursday that it was an ''open and shut'' case and she should be disqualified.

Sources told India Today the panel will seek details of Moitra's foreign visits from the Home Ministry and tally it with the places of log-ins to her parliamentary IDs as it works to submit its recommendations to the House next month.

In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla dated October 15, Dubey said advocate Dehadrai, close to Moitra before they fell out, has shared ''irrefutable evidence of bribes exchanged'' between her and businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Birla had referred the matter to the Ethics Committee.

The fiery TMC member has dismissed the charges as a ''jilted ex's lies'', a reference to Dehadrai, and accused the Adani Group of being behind them as she has been relentless in questioning the conglomerate's practices and transactions.