"Wasn't Mamata Banerjee aware?" asks BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul on 'Cash for Query' scandal
Oct 23, 2023
Asansol (West Bengal) [India], October 23 : Amid the controversy over his alleged "cash for query" allegations against Mahua Moitra, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary and MLA Agnimitra Paul wondered if CM Mamata Banerjee knew about her MP alleged activities.
"TMC MP Mahua Moitra shared the login ID and password of Lok Sabha to Darshan Hiranandani. Sitting in Dubai, he is posting questions on the Lok Sabha portal. Mahua Moitra has accepted a bribe for asking a question about Adani in the Parliament. Wasn't Mamata Banerjee aware of what her MP is doing?..." BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said.
Earlier, BJP MLA Nishkant Dubey in his letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, under the head "Re-emergence of nasty 'Cash for Query' in Parliament", the BJP MP accused the TMC member of "serious Breach of Privilege", "Contempt of the House" and a "criminal offence under Section 120A of IPC".
In his complaint with the Lokpal, Dubey alleged that Moitra received Rs 2 crores in cash from businessman Darshan Hiranandani both in Indian and foreign currencies in lieu of posing questions in Parliament.
He alleged further the businessman used the Lok Sabha logging credentials of the TMC MP while she was travelling abroad.
"The complainant is in receipt of a letter dated October 14, 2023, from one Jai Anant Dehadrai, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, wherein several serious and disturbing facts along with detailed proof have been mentioned against Mahua Moitra. In the letter, Dehadrai provides in great detail how, when and where Moitra received bribes from a businessman Darshan Hiranandani. The said letter clearly mentions how Mahua Moitra has received Rs two crores in cash from the said Darshan Hiranandani both in Indian currency and in foreign currency for asking questions in Parliament. The content of the said letter is self-explanatory. It also mentions that the said Darshan Hiraanandani had direct access to Mahua Moitra's Lok Sabha logging credentials and the same has been used by the said Darshan Hiraanandani while Mahua Moitra was travelling abroad," Dubey said in his complaint with the anti-graft watchdog.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Hiranandani submitted a "sworn" and notarised affidavit to the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha.
The accused Dubai-based businessman, who later turned approver in the matter, alleged that the TMC MP provided him with her "Parliament login and password" so that he "could post questions directly on her behalf when required".
