According to sources, it is expected that the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha will approach the Home Ministry to request information regarding the foreign trips of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament, Mahua Moitra, over the last five years.
The parliamentary panel is likely to contact the ministry to determine whether all required procedures, such as informing the Lok Sabha and obtaining necessary clearances, were duly followed by Mahua Moitra, as indicated by the source. Furthermore, sources suggest that the committee has already sought this information from the Ministry of Information Technology in relation to the cash-for-query controversy involving Moitra.
Mahua Moitra, representing the Krishnanagar constituency in West Bengal for the TMC, has been embroiled in a controversy regarding allegations that she accepted bribes in exchange for raising questions in Parliament. On Thursday, the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee issued a summons for Mahua Moitra to appear before it on October 31 concerning the cash-for-query allegations against her, as reported by sources to India Today.
While Mahua Moitra is awaiting the official summons, the source has added that she is likely to appear before the Ethics Committee on October 31.
The controversy emerged when Nishikant Dubey accused Moitra of receiving bribes from a businessman to pose questions in Parliament and called on Speaker Om Birla to establish an inquiry committee to investigate the allegations against her. Dubey claimed to have substantial evidence of financial transactions between her and businessman Darshan Hiranandani, with the aim of targeting the Prime Minister and the Adani Group in Parliament. Dubey stated that he had received a letter from Jai Anant Dehadrai, who is said to be Moitra's estranged partner, sharing this information about the TMC MP. Jai alleged that Mahua Moitra accepted bribes in return for posing questions aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani in Parliament.
Nishikant Dubey appeared before the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee earlier to provide oral evidence regarding the complaint he filed against TMC MP Mahua Moitra, accusing her of "direct involvement" in the cash-for-query scandal in Parliament. This was the Committee's first meeting addressing the cash-for-query complaint against Mahua Moitra.
Sources indicate that Nishikant Dubey informed the panel that he had conducted a thorough investigation into Supreme Court attorney Jai Anant Dehadrai's complaint before supporting it. He conducted multiple levels of investigation before submitting the complaint against Moitra, as stated by the source.
Moitra has expressed her willingness to welcome the Speaker's investigation into the matter after he has addressed alleged breaches of privileges by other BJP legislators. In response, Dubey emphasized that the issue is not about Adani, degrees, or theft but about corruption by Mahua Moitra in misleading the country.
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