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New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Friday told the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha that businessman Darshan Hiranandani’s recent affidavit against her was “scant on detail and provides no actual inventory” of gifts he had allegedly given to her in return for asking questions in Parliament. She urged the panel to summon the businessman and allow her “to exercise my right to cross-examine” him.
In his affidavit, the businessman had said that the TMC leader targeted Gautam Adani to “malign and embarrass” Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also claimed that he had given information to Moitra on the basis of which she attacked the Adani Group in Parliament. He alleged that he had gifted her expensive luxury items and paid for the “renovation of her official” bungalow. He added that the MP had provided him her login credentials of the Parliament’s official website so that he could “post the questions directly on her behalf”.
Responding to Mahua Moitra’s accusation that the affidavit was signed by the businessman under pressure from the Central government, he said in a television interview last week that he signed the document voluntarily, without “any fear or favour”. He called his using the MP’s parliamentary login credentials an “error of judgment”.
“An affidavit notarised at the Indian High Commission in Dubai on 20/10/2023 was submitted on a suo moto basis to the Committee and released publicly to the media by Shri Darshan Hiranandani. Shri Hiranandani in a public interview expressed his willingness to appear before the committee. His affidavit available in the public domain, is extremely scant on detail and provides no actual inventory of what he has allegedly given me,” Moitra wrote in a letter to the panel’s chief, Vinod Kumar Sonkar.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations and in keeping with the principles of natural justice, it is imperative that I am allowed to exercise my right to cross-examine Shri Hiranandani,” she added.
Also read: ‘No fear, no favour’: Darshan Hiranandani on signing affidavit against Mahua Moitra
She urged the panel to ask him to appear in person and provide a detailed “verified list of the alleged gifts and favours he allegedly provided to me”.
She said that any probe against her without recording Hiranandani’s oral evidence “will be incomplete, unfair and akin to holding a proverbial kangaroo court”.
She added that the businessman would need to be called to depose before the panel prepares its final report.
On Thursday, the panel recorded the oral evidence of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai. The panel summoned her on October 31. In her response, however, she expressed her inability to appear in person before November 5.
“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,” Mahua wrote.
She also appeared to be questioning Sonkar’s comment to media before issuing summons to her.
“Chairman, Ethics Comm announced my 31/10 summons on live TV way before the official letter emailed to me at 19:20 hrs. All complaints and suo moto affidavits also released to the media. I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre- scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4,” she wrote on X.
MP Dubey, citing alleged evidence furnished to him by her former friend Dehadrai, has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that she had been accepting money and other inducements in return for asking questions in Parliament. He also alleged that her parliamentary account was accessed from Dubai when she was in India.
Moitra has rubbished all allegations against her. She has claimed that the Adani Group was trying to silence her and the BJP wanted to expel her from the Lok Sabha.
“If Adani group is relying on dodgy dossiers created by dubious Sanghis & circulated by fake degree wallahs to either shut me up or bring me down I would advise them not to waste their time,” she had written on X.
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