The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted its probe report to the Lokpal in the cash-for-query-scam case against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
The central probe agency had filed an FIR on March 21 last year against Moitra and Hiranandani under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on a reference from the Lokpal.
Moitra is accused of accepting bribes and other advantages from Hiranandani to ask questions in the Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also faces allegations of compromising national interest by sharing the login details of her Lok Sabha account with the businessman.
The CBI has submitted its findings to the Lokpal, which will now decide the future course of action.
Moitra, who represented Krishnanagar parliament seat, was expelled from the lower house in December 2023, after an ethics committee found her guilty of accepting gifts and cash for raising questions in the parliament.
The fiery leader, however, retained her Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections by comfortably defeating BJP’s Amrita Roy.
The complaint against Moitra was first raised by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who had cited "irrefutable evidence" presented by advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, once close to the TMC MP, to accuse her of taking bribes from Hiranandani to target the Adani Group.
Dubey had also alleged that sharing of login details with anyone was a violation of the agreement with the government body (NIC) managing the portal and is a security risk.
Moitra has dismissed the charges against her while admitting, in remarks to media, that she shared her parliamentary portal login details with Hiranandani in connection with typing questions on her behalf, as he has long been a friend. She has also challenged her expulsion in the Supreme Court.
