Ethics panel to hear BJP MP’s complaint against Mahua Moitra on October 26

The Lok Sabha ethics committee has called BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anand Dehadrai for a hearing on October 26 in connection with their 'cash for query' allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra. 

This comes a day after Dubey's complaint against Moitra was referred to the ethics committee of Parliament. 

Dubey has alleged that Moitra “took bribes to ask questions” in Parliament on behalf of businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, the BJP MP accused the Trinamool leader of breach of parliamentary privilege, contempt of the House and criminal conspiracy. 

In the letter, Dubey urged Birla to constitute an "enquiry committee" to look into the charges against her. The BJP MP also alleged that Mahua Moitra shared her Lok Sabha website login access with the businessman in question. Dubey claimed that he had received a letter from Dehadrai, who has reportedly shared "irrefutable evidence of bribes" allegedly exchanged between Moitra and the business tycoon about her asking questions in Parliament. 

Subsequently, on 17 October, Birla referred Dubey's complaint to the Ethics Committee of the Lower House, chaired by BJP member Vinod Kumar Sonkar. 

However, Moitra rejected the charges, saying she "welcomes any move against her after the Lok Sabha Speaker is finished dealing with pending charges against him (Dubey)". She also asserted that the charges were based on a "jilted ex’s lies". 

The Hiranandani Group, too, has trashed the allegations. "We have always been in the business of business and not in the business of politics. Our group has always worked with the government in the interest of the nation and will continue doing so," a spokesperson said. 

The Hiranandani Group lost energy and infra contracts to the Adani Group and Moitra's questions were directed at perpetuating the Hiranandani Group's interests, Dubey alleged in his letter to the speaker. 

The Adani Group has said the allegations against Moitra proved that a few groups and individuals have been “working overtime” to harm its "name, goodwill and market standing".