Cash-for-query row: BJP MP moves Lokpal against Moitra; her 'jilted ex' alleges threat to life

Amid the ‘cash-for-query’ controversy surrounding Mahua Moitra, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Saturday said he has lodged a complaint with the anti-corruption body watchdog, Lokpal, against the Trinamool Congress leader.

Taking to his official handle on social media platform X, Dubey posted in Hindi, “(I am) tired of hearing CBI, CBI. I filed a complaint (against Mahua Moitra) with the Lokpal today. The Lokpal is the only authority, which is mandated to look into complaints of corruption or impropriety against MPs, ministers or other people’s representatives. The CBI is an agency through which it carries forward its investigation into such complaints.”

Dubey’s move to approach the anti-corruption watchdog against Moitra comes at a time when the Ethics Committee of the Lower House is already looking into the allegations against her.

In his complaint with the Lokpal, Dubey alleged that Moitra received Rs 2 crore in cash from businessman Darshan Hiranandani both in Indian and foreign currencies in lieu of posing questions in Parliament. He alleged further the businessman used the Lok Sabha logging credentials of the TMC MP while she was travelling abroad.

Earlier, in his letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, under the head “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament”, the BJP MP accused the TMC member of “serious Breach of Privilege”, “Contempt of the House” and a “criminal offence under Section 120A of IPC”.

‘Direct bid to coerce’

Meanwhile, Jai Anant Dehadrai, the Supreme Court lawyer who had written to the CBI and a BJP MP, saying he had evidence of TMC MP Mahua Moitra allegedly accepting bribes from a businessman to ask questions in Parliament, has now claimed that he anticipates “a very serious threat to his life”.

Dehadrai has also claimed that a direct attempt was made to coerce him into withdrawing his complaint and threats of harming his reputation were made if he did not agree.

Dehadrai was reportedly in a relationship with Moitra and the two have allegedly not been on good terms since they parted ways. The two have accused each other of “stealing” Henry, their pet Rottweiler who is now with Moitra, and a battle for his custody is being fought in court.

Dehadrai has said, in a letter to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, that he was writing under “extremely distressing circumstances”. The lawyer said he anticipated a threat to his life because of the complaint against Moitra and others submitted to the CBI and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on October 14. He alleged that a direct attempt was made to coerce him into withdrawing his complaint on Thursday.

“Threats of reputational harm were also conveyed in case I did not agree. The very specific demand was that I should unconditionally withdraw both the complaints in which I have levelled serious allegations pertaining to national security and corruption against Moitra and others. It was stated that Moitra would return my pet Rottweiler Henry to me if I agreed to withdraw the said complaints,” Dehadrai wrote.

BJP takes a jibe

On the other hand, with the TMC officially steering clear of the cash-for-query row in which Moitra finds herself mired in, the BJP has now claimed that the TMC has abandoned her.

Reacting to the development, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya took to X platform, saying TMC chief Mamata Banerjee won’t defend anyone else but Abhishek Banerjee. “It is not surprising that Mamata Banerjee has abandoned Mahua Moitra. She will defend no one else but Abhishek Banerjee, who is no less delinquent… Several TMC leaders are in jail on serious corruption and criminal charges but Mamata Banerjee has maintained radio silence,” he posted on X.

However, BJP leader Rahul Sinha said Trinamool cannot shrug off its responsibility. “The TMC always tries to shrug off its responsibility whenever its leaders are either arrested or land into trouble. The TMC needs to explain whether it supports Mahua Moitra or not,” PTI quoted Sinha as saying.