Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
Darshan Hiranandani, a prominent figure in the Mumbai-based real estate firm, Hiranandani Group, finds himself in the midst of a controversy as he faces allegations of allegedly paying bribes to Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Mahua Moitra, in exchange for her raising specific questions in the Indian Parliament
On October 15, Nishikant Dubey, a Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made a serious accusation against Mahua Moitra, claiming that she had accepted "bribes" from Darshan Hiranandani. He based this allegation on a complaint filed by a Supreme Court lawyer
Darshan Hiranandani, the son of real-estate tycoon Niranjan Hiranandani, holds a prominent position as the head of the Hiranandani Group's real estate business in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Within India, the Hiranandani Group is actively involved in real estate projects in key cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad
Possessing an educational background that includes an MBA and a Bachelor of Science degree from the prestigious Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Darshan Hiranandani is significantly engaged in managing the group's international real estate ventures
In recent years, Darshan Hiranandani has been actively diversifying the Hiranandani Group's business interests. This diversification includes ventures in emerging sectors like data centres, cloud computing, energy, and industrial warehousing and logistics. He also holds leadership roles in H-Energy Pvt. and oversees the operation of data centres in Navi Mumbai and Noida
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey supported his claims by referencing a letter he had received from a legal advocate. According to Dubey, this advocate provided what he described as "indisputable" evidence showcasing the exchange of bribes between Mahua Moitra and a certain businessman. He accused Mahua Moitra of being directly involved in actions that amounted to a "Breach of Privilege," "Contempt of the House," and potentially even a "Criminal Offense" under Section 120-A of the Indian Penal Code
Mahua Moitra responded to these allegations by expressing her willingness to cooperate with any investigation. However, she also suggested that it was essential to address pending charges against the Lok Sabha Speaker before moving forward with any inquiry
Hiranandani Group firmly rejected the allegations. They emphasised their long-standing commitment to business and collaboration with the government in the best interests of the nation
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who serves as the Minister of State for Electronics and Technology, expressed shock and dismay upon hearing about these allegations. In a post on X, he noted that if the reports of Mahua Moitra asking parliamentary questions on behalf of a data centre company were accurate, it was indeed a matter of great concern. Chandrasekhar further linked this controversy to Hiranandani's business interests, particularly data localization