Cash-For-Query Row: Parliament’s Ethics Panel To Call Mahua Moitra On Oct 31

New Delhi [India] : The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha will call Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on October 31, over the cash-for-query allegations against her, the Chairman of Parliament Ethics Committee Vinod Sonkar said on Thursday.

“The two people who were summoned today – the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey – were heard attentively. After that, it was decided that Mahua Moitra would be called on October 31. She will come and present her part. The committee has also decided that the IT Ministry and MHA will be sent letters to make her details available,” Vinod Sonkar said.

Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey appeared before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee to submit oral evidence on his allegations of “Cash for Query’ against TMC MP Mahua Moitra.

As he arrived at the Parliament annexe for the deposition the BJP MP said that he would completely cooperate with the Committee and would be present whenever the Committee called him for questioning.

“I will give all the information that the Committee asks me to provide. I will appear before the Committee whenever it asks me to. I will submit all the documents, the truth is in the documents”

When asked about Mahua’s allegations that Dubey submitted a fake degree in his election nomination papers, the BJP MP said that there is only one question “Mahua chor hai ki Nahi” (Is Mahua a thief or not?)”

Today was the first meeting of the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha to address the “Cash for Query” allegations lodged against TMC MP Mahua Moitra.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai appeared before the Committee today to submit oral evidence in regard to the complaint filed by Dubey against TMC MP Mahua Moitra, alleging that she has “direct involvement in the ‘cash for query’ scam in Parliament.

The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee is headed by the BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar and includes Vishnu Datt Sharma, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Aparajita Sarangi, Rajdeep Roy, Sunita Duggal, and Subhash Bhamre of the BJP; Ve Vaithilingam, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Preneet Kaur of the Congress; Balashowry Vallabbhaneni (YSRCP); Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena); Giridhari Yadav (JD-U); P R Natarajan (CPI-M); and Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP).

The BJP MP earlier wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker, alleging the involvement of Mahua Moitra in the ‘Cash for Query’ scandal. He further claimed that he had proof of the charges as given to him by Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai.

Dubey, in his letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, titled “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament,” had alleged “‘serious Breach of Privilege’, ‘Contempt of the House’ and a ‘Criminal Offence’ under Section 120A of IPC” by the Trinamool Congress MP. Dubey claimed that an Advocate, Jai Anant Dehadrai, had provided him with proof of a bribe.

In response to this letter, the Trinamool Congress MP said that she would welcome a probe by the speaker after he dealt with alleged breaches of privilege by other BJP MPs.

Dubey on Wednesday once again targeted Mahua Moitra. In a reply to the Trinamool Congress MP’s remarks against him, Dubey said that the question is not about Adani, Degree or theft, but about corruption by misleading the country.

“The question is about the dignity of Parliament, the security of India and the propriety, corruption and criminality of the alleged MP. The answer has to be given whether NIC mail is open in Dubai or not. Ask questions in exchange for money or not. Who bore the expenses of travelling abroad? Did you get permission from @loksabhaspeaker and @MEAIndia to go abroad or not? The question is not about Adani, degree or theft, but about your corruption by misleading the country,” Nishikant Dubey posted on X.

“Degree wali desh beche, chand paise ke le jamir beche (Those with degrees sell the country and sell their conscience for money),” he alleged.

The charge by Nishikant Dubey followed Mahua Moitra’s dig at him after Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw assured Dubey that his complaint on misuse of Parliament login credentials would be looked into.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Mahua said, “Who is lying? 2 days ago Fake Degree Wala said NIC already given details including “Dubai” logins to the probe agency. Now Ashwini Vaishnaw says NIC will give info in future IF asked by LS or Ethics Comm. BJP is welcome to do a hit job on me but Adani+Godda perhaps not the best strategists!”