Ready to answer questions from CBI, Ethics Committee if called: Mahua Moitra

TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Friday said she is ready to answer questions from the CBI and the Parliament's Ethics Committee if she is called in connection with allegations of she taking bribes from a noted businessman.

Moitra has been at the centre of a political storm after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused the Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar in West Bengal of taking bribes from the businessman to ask questions in Parliament. He has urged Speaker Om Birla to constitute an inquiry committee to look into the charges against her.

"I welcome answering questions to CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and Ethics Committee (which has absolute majority of BJP members) if and when they call me. I have neither time nor interest to feed a Adani-directed media circus trial or answer BJP trolls," Moitra said on X.

"I am enjoying Durga Puja in Nadia. Shubho Sashthi," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader said.

Darshan Hiranandani, the CEO of real estate-to-energy group Hiranandani, who allegedly paid Moitra to raise questions in Parliament about Adani Group, on Thursday in a signed affidavit said the TMC leader targeted Gautam Adani to "malign and embrass" Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose impeccable reputation gave opposition no opportunity to attack him.

Lok Sabha Speaker Birla has referred Dubey's complaint to the Ethics Committee, which has called Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai for oral evidence on October 26.  Dehadrai, who filed the initial complaint, is Moitra's former partner, and was involved in a tussle with her over their pet dog. The Krishnanagar MP has filed multiple police complaints against Dehadrai in the past six months. She has also said the complaint is based on "a jilted ex's lies".  Dehadrai meanwhile in a post on X alleged that an attempt was made to coerce him to withdraw his CBI complaint in exchange of Moitra's pet Henry. This was reposted by Dubey.

"An attempt was made yesterday afternoon, to coerce me into withdrawing my CBI complaint and letter to Nishikant Dubey in exchange for Henry. I flatly refused - will give details to CBI. Messenger is totally innocent - but tells you everything about her," he said.  Dubey, in a post in Hindi on X, said it is a battle to "save Parliament", and not a political battle.