Cash for query: India MP Mahua Moitra walks out of ethics panel over 'filthy questions': Report
TMC MP Mahua Moitra
Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament from India's Trinamool Congress Party, walked out during her appearance before Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on Thursday (Nov 2) during a hearing on the so-called 'cash for query' issue. She claimed"filthy questions" were the reason for her walkout.
Lok Sabha is a lower house of Parliament of India. The parliament committee is headed by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vinod Sonkar.
"What kind of meeting was this? They are asking all kinds of filthy questions," Moitra was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Earlier in the day, Moitra requested the ethics committee in a letter for permission to appear after November 5. However, the panel rejected the request and asked Moitra to appear before it on Thursday itself.
The 'cash for query' allegations were made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. He has accused Moitra of taking bribes from Darshan Hiranandani, a Dubai-based businessman in order to raise questions in the parliament to target Adani Group, a large business conglomerate headed by Gautam Adani.
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Dubey has also written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and has sought a probe. He has also claimed that a Supreme Court of India lawyer, Jai Anant Dehadrai, has given him proof of bribes.
Both Dubey and Moitra have already appeared before the Ethics Committee on October 26.
On Wednesday, Moitra made public her letter to chairman of the Ethics Committee and BJP MP Vinod Sonkar.
She posted the two-page letter on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Moitra has alleged in her letter that advocate Dehadrai has not presented any documentary evidence to support his allegations.
She said he has even not provided any oral evidence.
"In keeping 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 'bribe-giver' Darshan Hiranandani, who has given a 'Suo-Motu' affidavit to the Committee with scant details and no documentary evidence whatsoever, be called to depose before the Committee and provide the said evidence in the form of a documented itemised inventory with amounts, date etc" she further wrote.
"I wish to place on record that in keeping with the principles of natural justice I wish to exercise my right to cross-examine Hiranandani," Moitra added.
(With inputs from agencies)