Mahua Moitra gets fresh date; summoned on Nov 2 by Lok Sabha ethics panel

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has now by summoned on November 2 after she asked for fresh dates. However, her request to keep the hearing after November 5 has been turned down.

On Friday, Moitra wrote to the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee that is probing 'cash-for-query' allegations against her and expressed her inability to appear before it on October 31, saying she will be available only after November 5.

In her letter to panel chairperson Vinod Sonkar, Moitra said she "eagerly looks forward to physically attending and presenting her defence against the slanderous charges" and that 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 & favours he allegedly provided to me".

A day after Sonkar announced that she has been summoned on October 31, Moitra, in a post on X said is busy till November 4 on account of Durga Puja celebrations going on in West Bengal. In her letter, she said she would be available only after November 5.

She was in the Parliament House complex on Friday, apparently to submit the letter.

Sharing a copy of her letter on X, Moitra said, "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 & suo moto affidavits were also released to the media. I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre-scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4".

The panel is probing BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's allegations that Moitra accepted bribes and favours for asking questions in Lok Sabha at the behest of businessman Hiranandani. On Thursday, 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 myself against the false, malicious and defamatory accusations levelled against me by Shri Dubey and Shri Dehadrai." "The Committee - against the order of natural justice, if I may humbly add- summoned and heard the complainants Shri Dubai (Dubey) & Shri Dehadrai on 26/10/2023 before allowing me, the alleged accused, a chance to be heard," she said.

She said she represents 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 added.

"Therefore, I request to be given time to appear in person before the committee at any date and time of the committee's choice after 5th November 2023. As a recent example, Shri Ramesh Biduri, MP who was summoned by the Privileges Committee on 10/10/23 requested more time since he had pre-fixed political meetings in Rajasthan and was accorded a similar courtesy by this same branch," she said.

Moitra said she has an "impeccable record of personal integrity", adding that she is "a vocal member of the Opposition responsible for raising my voice against various corporate scams".

She also said Hiranandani, in a public interview with a news channel, expressed his willingness to appear before the committee, and said she should be given a chance to cross-question Hiranandani, who has alleged that the TMC MP shared her Lok Sabha e-mail ID so he could send her information targeting the Adani Group.

"His affidavit available in the public domain, is extremely scant on detail and provides no actual inventory of what he has allegedly given me. 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 said.

"It is also imperative that he appear before the committee and provide a detailed verified list of the alleged gifts & favours he allegedly provided to me. 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 it prepares its final report," her letter said.

Meanwhile, Dubey pointed out a typo in her letter where his name was misspelled as 'Dubai', and said it describes her mental state and mocked her, calling her 'Dubai didi'.

Taking to X, he said when any MP gets the Parliament email ID or member portal, an agreement is reached with NIC and the very first point is that the email ID and password will be kept confidential and will not be shared with anyone.

"I signed this agreement after thinking carefully. Did the degree holder study or not or did she sell the country's security for a few bucks?" Dubey posted on X, in an apparent attack on Moitra without naming her.

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 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.