Mahua Moitra writes to ethics panel ahead of hearing and seeks to cross-examine lawyer Dehadrai and ‘bribery giver’ Hiranandani
In her letter, Moitra alleged that lawyer Dehadrai had not provided any evidence to substantiate his allegations in his written complaint, nor could he provide any evidence during his oral hearing.
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday said she will appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on November 2 in the cash-for-query case, but tried to ‘cross-examine lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai and businessman Darshan Hiranandani ‘ about their accusations. The ‘cash-for-query’ case relates to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s allegations that Mahua Moitra took bribes in the form of ‘cash’ and ‘gifts’ from tycoon Darshan Hiranandani to probe the Adani group in her capacity as Member of Parliament, causing a political storm.
The TMC Lok Sabha MP on Wednesday made public her letter to ethics committee chairman and BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar. Moitra posted the two-page letter on her my ‘hearing’ tomorrow. ”
In her letter, Moitra alleged that lawyer Dehadrai had not provided any evidence to substantiate his allegations in his written complaint, nor could he provide any evidence during his oral hearing.
“In accordance with the principles of natural justice, I wish to exercise my right to cross-examine Dehadrai,” she wrote in her letter to the committee.
“In light of the seriousness of the allegations, it is imperative that the alleged ‘bribery giver’ Darshan Hiranandani, who submitted a ‘Suo-Motu’ affidavit to the commission with scant details and without any documentary evidence, is summoned to to depose him. before the committee and provide the said evidence in the form of a documented itemized inventory with amounts, date etc,” she further wrote.
Since the Ethics Committee saw fit to release my appeal to the media, I believe it is important that I also release my letter to the Committee before my “hearing” tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/A8MwFRsImk
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) November 1, 2023
“I would like to place it on record that, in accordance with the principles of natural justice, I would like to exercise my right to cross-examine Hiranandani,” she added. Moitra had asked the committee to respond in writing and record their decision to allow or deny such cross-examination.
The TMC MP also raised concerns over the ethics committee’s ‘double standards’ and emphasized that the panel is taking a different approach in the case of BJP MP Ramesh Biduri, who she said has a very serious complaint of hate speech.
Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, on whose complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the entire case rests, was cross-examined by the ethics committee on October 26, while BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who led the call to to investigate the allegation that Moitra had given her parliamentary credentials to the businessman, if he were to elaborate on his allegations.