Cash-For-Query Row: Mahua Moitra Seeks More Time To Appear Before Ethics Panel (image: instagram/twitter.com/pradip103
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who is at the centre of cash-for-query row requested more time to appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on the decided date. She was scheduled to appear before the committe on October 31. In the request letter, a copy which see posted on the social media platform, X, she said she can appear in person before the panel at any date and time of their choice after November 5.
Citing Durga pooja festivities, Ms Moitra detailed the necessity of appearing in number of pre-scheduled Vijaya Dashami meetings in her consistuency. “I represent the state of West Bengal where Durga Puja is the biggest festival. I am already committed to attending numerous pre-scheduled Vijaya Dashami Sammelans/meetings (both government and political) in my constituency from 30th October to 4th November 2023 and cannot be in Delhi on 31st October 2023,” she wrote. To make her point further, she referred the case of Lok Sabha MP Ramesh Bidhuri who has been permitted another time since he was unable to attend the allotted time due to election work.
In the letter sent to Vinod Sonkar, the chairperson of the committee, Ms Moitra added that she was eagerly looking forward to physically attending and presenting her defence against the “slanderous charges” accused against her at the next date provided by the ethics panel.
Chairman, Ethics Comm announced my 31/10 summons on live TV way before official letter emailed to me at 19:20 hrs. All complaints & suo moto affidavits also released to media. I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre- scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4. pic.twitter.com/ARgWeSQiHJ
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 27, 2023
Further, TMC leader said that she should be allowed to cross-examine businessman Darshan Hiranandani and added that he must provide a verified list of the gifts and favours that he had allegedly given to Ms Moitra.
“I wish to place on record that any enquiry without the oral evidence of Shri Hiranandani will be incomplete, unfair and akin to holding a proverbial “kangaroo court” and that he too will need to be called to depose before the Committee before its final report,” she asserted.
Mr Hiranandani, the CEO of real-estate group Hiranandani Group, in a signed affidavit, reportedly admitted that he had given information to TMC leader, and also claimed that she had given him access to her parliament login and password to post the questions directly when needed.
