TMC MP Mahua Moitra, who appeared before the Lok Sabha
Ethics Committee over cash-for-query allegations against her and Opposition
members of the panel “walked out” of the meeting on Thursday.
Opposition members raised questions over the line of
questioning and alleged that “personal questions” were posed to the Trinamool
Congress MP.
Among those who walked out were BSP MP Danish Ali,
Janata Dal (United) MP Giridhari Yadav and Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy.
“They asked personal questions to the woman (Mahua
Moitra). They do not have the right to ask personal questions, so we walked
out,” said Giridhari Yadav.
Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that there was no reply to
their queries about the BJP MP, who made the complaint, “having some
information” which is supposed to come to the panel.
“The whole line of questions it seems that he’s
(Parliament Ethics Committee Chairman) acting on somebody’s behest. It is very,
very bad. For two days we have been asking him some things. They are asking her
(Mahua Moitra) where are you travelling? Where are you meeting? Can you give us
your phone records? There is no evidence of any cash transfer,” he said.
Moitra appeared before the Ethics Committee in
connection with the alleged ‘Cash for Query’ charge against her on Thursday
morning.
Sources said Moitra gave her statement and she was to
be cross-examined by the members on the basis of complaint made by BJP MP
Nishkant Dubey and Advocate Jai Dehadrai. The Ethics Committee is led by BJP MP
Vinod Sonkar.
Moitra had earlier in a letter to the ethics panel
requested for a summons date after November 5 citing pre-scheduled Vijaya
Dashmi programmes. The panel, however, asked her to appear on November 2.
Moitra is facing ‘Cash for Query’ charges made by
Dubey, who alleged that the Trinamool MP had taken bribes from Dubai-based
businessman Hiranandani to raise questions in Parliament to target the Adani
Group.
Dubey also wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om
Birla, titled “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament”, seeking a
probe into the matter. He also claimed that Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai had
provided him with proof of alleged bribes.
Both Dubey and Jai Dehadrai have appeared before the
panel.
On Wednesday, Moitra made public her letter to the
Ethics Committee chairman.
Posting a two-page letter on her X handle, Moitra
said, “Since the Ethics Committee deemed it fit to release my summons to the
media I think it is important I too release my letter to the Committee before
my hearing.
In her letter, Moitra alleged that advocate Jai Anant
Dehadrai “had provided no documentary evidence to back his allegations in
either his written complaint and neither could he provide any evidence in his
oral hearing.”
“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.”
ANI
