New Delhi

Indian parliament’s Ethics Committee probing the cash-for-query scam submitted a report on Thursday (Nov 7) recommending the expulsion of Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Mahua Moitra from the 17th Lok Sabha (lower house).

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The 500-page report, which was adopted with a 6-4 vote, concluded that Moitra shared her user ID with "unauthorised persons", took cash and amenities from businessman Darshan Hiranandani, adding that she committed "serious misdemeanour" which calls for "serious punishment".

"The money trail of cash transaction between Mahua Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani as a part of a 'quid pro quo' should be investigated by the government of India in a legal, institutional and time-bound manner," the report read.

The report will be submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla during the winter session of parliament and action would be taken after a discussion.

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The panel has left it for the central government to investigate and establish the money trail.

Congress MP among six members who voted in favour 

After the report was published, committee chairman and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Vinod Sonkar said, “The Ethics Committee had prepared a report on the allegations against Mahua Moitra. The single agenda of the meeting was to adopt that report. That report was adopted.”

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“Six MPs supported the report and four people have submitted their dissent notes. There was voting. We will send a detailed report along with the recommendations to the Lok Sabha Speaker. Whatever action is to be taken now will be taken by the Speaker.”

Among the six MPs who voted in favour, one is a Congress parliamentarian Preneet Kaur, wife of Punjab’s former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who is now with the BJP.

The Opposition MPs who submitted dissenting note are: BSP’s Danish Ali, Congress’s V Vaithilingam, CPM’s P R Natarajan and JD(U)’s Giridhari Yadav.

'Will come back stronger'  

Moitra dismissed the committee report, calling it a “pre-fixed match by a kangaroo court”.

"This is a pre-fixed match by a kangaroo court, which is of no surprise or consequence. But the larger message for the country is that for India, it is death of parliamentary democracy," she told PTI news agency.

Also read | Explained | Mahua Moitra's cash-for-query row: How TMC MP became the eye of the storm

When asked what will be her next course of action if she is expelled, she said, “I will be back in the next Lok Sabha with bigger mandate."

Also read  | CBI to probe cash-for-query scam involving TMC MP Mahua Moitra, says BJP MP Nishikant Dubey

"First, let them expel me,” Moitra added.

Disputing the legitimacy of the Ethics Committee's mandate to recommend expulsion, Moitra criticised the BJP, saying, "I am happy that the BJP has shown to the entire country the mockery they have made of parliamentary democracy."

(With inputs from agencies)