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The ‘cash for query’ row took a dramatic turn on Thursday after businessman Darshan Hiranandani came out with a statement, saying he used Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s Parliamentary login to ask questions from the central government.
The matter came to light after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that she purportedly asked questions in Parliament in exchange for gifts and cash from the Hiranandani group, and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an attempt to link them to the Adani group.
Mahua has refuted the allegations and filed a defamation case against Dubey, Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai and others.
In response to a query from Moneycontrol, the corporate group had earlier said, “These allegations have no merit. We have always been in the business of business and not in the business of politics.”
The official spokesperson of the Hiranandani group further added, “Our group has always worked with the government in the interest of the nation and will continue doing so.”
‘Cash For Query’ Row | Timeline
October 14: Supreme Court advocate, Jai Anant Dehadrai, sent his complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), asking for lodging of a First Information Report (FIR) on charges of corruption and money laundering.
Dehadrai has submitted a copy of his complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker as well.
October 15: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla a complaint against Moitra and demanded an inquiry committee and seeking her immediate suspension from Parliament.
In his complaint, Dubey cited a detailed complaint by a Supreme Court advocate, Jai Anant Dehadrai, which he has received.
The allegation against Moitra by Dubey and Dehadrai is that she purportedly asked questions in Parliament in exchange for gifts and cash from a businessman, and targeted the Prime Minister and Home Minister in an attempt to link them to another corporate.
After the BJP MP’s complaint, Moitra posted several messages on X to hit back at Dubey without directly naming him. ”Multiple breach of privileges pending against fake degreewala & other BJP luminaries. Welcome any motions against me right after Speaker finishes dealing with those. Also waiting for ED & others to file FIR in Adani coal scam before coming to my doorstep,” she said.
Dubey also wrote to Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw requesting him to investigate the “IP Address” of Moitra’s “Lok Sabha login credentials”.
Underlining that “access to the Lok Sabha site might provide sensitive, possibly classified information,” the BJP MP urged Vaishnaw to treat the allegations seriously and initiate an investigation.
Moitra said all parliamentary work of MPs is done by PAs, assistants, interns, and large teams and requested the IT minister to release details of the location and login details of all MPs with CDRs.
October 17: Mahua Moitra approached the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, an advocate and several social media platforms and media houses from posting, circulating or publishing any alleged fake and defamatory content against her.
October 19: Darshan Hiranandani, son of real estate billionaire Niranjan Hiranandani, claimed that he used the Rajya Sabha MP’s Parliamentary login to ask questions from the central government.
In an affidavit, businessman Darshan said he met Moitra on several occasions and they used to communicate frequently, ranging from weekly to daily calls”.
“She shared with me her email ID as a Member of Parliament, so that I could send her information, and she could raise the questions in the Parliament. I went along with her proposal… Certain information was shared with me, based on which I continued to draft and post questions using her Parliamentary login whenever needed,” it said.
Darshan also claimed the TMC leader sought various favours from him. “Many a times I felt that she was taking undue advantage of me and pressurising me to do things I didn’t want to, but I had no choice, because of the aforementioned reasons,” he stated.
However, Moitra rejected the businessman’s claims, saying that the government put a gun to his head and threatened to shut down his businesses. “He has not been called by CBI or the ethics committee. Why would he write this on his own? Modi has threatened to shut his and his father’s businesses down. They have huge investments in every state. BJP wants to get me at any cost so forced him to do this,” she added.
October 20: The Delhi High Court will hear Moitra’s defamation case against Dubey and others.
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