 "From jilted ex to bribery claims: What is Mahua Moitra's cash-for-query row")
The cash-for-query controversy took an unexpected twist on Friday after the Delhi High Court, hearing Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra's defamation suit against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey and Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, said it was "appalled" with the TMC MP's lawyer for asking Dehadrai to withdraw his complaint before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in exchange for his pet dog.
The advocate, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, later recused himself from representing the TMC MP in the case.
"I have absolutely no comments except to say, because Jai [Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai] instructed me in a case, I had reached out to him yesterday and had asked him if there was any way of exploring a settlement. Jai had said that he would get back to me, but he didn't. Today when I appeared, Jai personally said to me he had an objection to me appearing. I immediately withdrew and said that I don't want to do this case," the lawyer was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Earlier this week, Moitra filed a defamation suit in the court against Dubey and Dehadrai for accusing her of accepting bribes to ask questions in Parliament.
Jai Anant Dehadrai, Moitra's estranged partner, today wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that there was an attempt to coerce him into withdrawing his complaint. He said he flatly refused to accept the offer.
Here's a timeline of what's happened thus far in this case:
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October 14
- Advocate Dehadrai filed a complaint with the CBI, seeking the lodging of an FIR related to charges of corruption and money laundering. Dehadrai also submitted a copy of his complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
October 15
- BJP MP Dubey submitted a complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker against Moitra, urging the formation of an inquiry committee and her immediate suspension from Parliament.
In his complaint, Dubey referenced a detailed complaint from advocate Dehadrai. The allegations against Moitra involve purportedly asking questions in Parliament in exchange for gifts and cash from a businessman, along with targeting the Prime Minister and Home Minister in an attempt to link them to another corporate entity.
October 16
- Following the complaint by the BJP MP, Moitra posted messages on social media to respond to Dubey without directly naming him.
She wrote, "Multiple breach of privileges pending against fake degreewala and other BJP luminaries. Welcome any motions against me right after the Speaker finishes dealing with those. Also waiting for ED [Enforcement Directorate] and others to file FIR in Adani coal scam before coming to my doorstep."
- Dubey then wrote to Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, requesting an investigation into the "IP Address" of Moitra's "Lok Sabha login credentials."
- In response, Moitra highlighted that a team of individuals carried out the Parliamentary work of MPs and requested the IT minister to release the location and login details of all MPs with call detail records (CDRs).
She stated that the charges were rooted in a "jilted ex's lies." According to various media reports, she was alluding to Advocate Dehadrai. There is an ongoing tussle between Moitra and Dehadrai over their pet dog and the TMC MP has filed multiple police complaints against him in the last six months for alleged criminal trespass, theft, vulgar messages and abuse, news agency PTI reported quoting Trinamool sources.
October 17
- Moitra approached the Delhi High Court, seeking an injunction to prevent BJP MP Dubey, Advocate Dehadrai, and several social media platforms and media outlets from disseminating any alleged fake and defamatory content about her.
- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla directed the complaint made by Dubey to be forwarded to the Lower House's Ethics Committee for review.
October 19
- Darshan Hiranandani, son of real estate billionaire Niranjan Hiranandani, asserted that he had used the Rajya Sabha MP's Parliamentary login to ask questions to the Centre.
In an affidavit, Darshan stated that he and Moitra had regular communication, and she provided her email ID as a Member of Parliament for him to send information, which she could raise in Parliament. He also alleged that Moitra sought various favours from him.
- Moitra refuted these claims, suggesting that the central government pressured Darshan into making these statements.
"He has not been called by the CBI or the ethics committee. Why would he write this on his own? Modi has threatened to shut his and his father's businesses down. They have huge investments in every state. BJP wants to get me at any cost so forced him to do this," Moitra said.
- Dehadrai writes a letter addressed to the Delhi Police Commissioner, seeking assistance in reuniting with his pet dog Henry.
In the letter, he described his deep connection with the dog, Henry, likening it to that of a parent and child. He emphasised his long-standing care for Henry, having looked after the dog since it was 40 days old and claimed to understand the dog's every need and concern.
Dehadrai accused Moitra of deliberately keeping Henry from him as an act of reprisal for his CBI complaint.
October 20
- The Delhi High Court heard Moitra's defamation case against Dubey, Dehadrai and others.
- Mahua Moitra's lawyer withdrew from the case after a dramatic 'conflict of interest' claim in court on Friday. The next hearing will be on October 31.
- Chairman of Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, Vinod Sonkar, told India Today that he has received businessman Darshan Hiranandani's letter against Moitra.
The decision to summon the TMC MP will only be made after hearing Dubey and Dehadrai's statements on October 26, and based on the evidence they provide to back their allegations against Moitra, Sonkar said.