Cash for Query scam, Parliament: Extension request rejected, Mahua Moitra asked to appear before Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on Nov 2

Alleged scam-tainted Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra had written to the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee that is probing 'cash-for-query' allegations and expressed her inability to appear before it on October 31, saying she will be available only after November 5. However, the House panel on Saturday, Oct 28, asked her to appear before it on November 2.

The committee also said no further extension would be granted. 

In her letter to panel chairperson and BJP lawmaker Vinod Sonkar, Ms Moitra said she "eagerly looks forward to physically attending and presenting her defence against the slanderous charges". She said she should be allowed to exercise her right to cross-examine businessman Darshan Hiranandani. She also said Hiranandani should appear before the committee and provide a "detailed verified list of the alleged gifts and favors he allegedly provided to me".

The panel is probing BJP MP (from Jharkhand) Nishikant Dubey's allegations that Moitra accepted bribes and favours for asking questions in Lok Sabha at the behest of businessman Hiranandani against business tycoon Gautam Adani. 

Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai gave "oral evidence" to the panel against the Trinamool Congress MP. Moitra said she should be given "a fair hearing and an adequate opportunity" to defend herself against the "false, malicious and defamatory accusations" levelled against her by Dubey and Dehadrai.

Apart from accusing Moitra of accepting bribes for asking questions in Parliament, Dubey had suggested that she had shared her Lok Sabha login credentials with a businessman. In her response, Moitra had said, "All parliamentary work of MPs is done by PAs, assistants, interns, large teams" and urged the minister to release details of location and login details of all MPs with Call Detail Records.

"Please release info on training given to staff to login," she said, but did not elaborate any further.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has alleged that the TMC MP Mahua Moitra insulted him by calling him a 'Pit bull' dog. Dubey said Moitra's statement was a violation of the law and demanded action.  

Nishikant Dubey took to his X handle and said, "Today, in an interview with 'India Today', Mahua insulted the entire Jharkhand and Bihar by calling me a Pit bull, a dog."

"I have been insulted by being called a dog, which is a violation of the law."

Calling out to Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Dubey wrote, "Take action, this is a mockery of Parliament, the legislators, and the laws of Jharkhand and the country."

Sometime back, Ms Moitra misspelled Dubey as 'Dubai'  and said -- "Dubai Didi asked some people for a cross examination. Under the rules of Lok Sabha, especially page 246 of the Kaul-Shakdher book, the witness is protected from court proceedings and its hue and cry... Answers are needed on the question of (hampering) national security and corruption; here we are prepared for the fight," he wrote on X in Hindi.

He also said Ms Moitra was so "intoxicated with Dubai" that she misspelled his name in the letter as 'Dubai' instead of 'Dubey'.