The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has summoned BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anand Dehadrai for a hearing on October 26 in connection with their “cash for query” allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.
This comes a day after Mr Dubey’s complaint against Ms Moitra was referred to the ethics committee.
Ms Moitra “took bribes to raise questions” in Parliament on behalf of businessman Darshan Hiranandani to attack the Adani group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dubey has alleged. In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the BJP MP has accused the Trinamool leader of breach of parliamentary privilege, contempt of House and criminal conspiracy.
In his letter to the Speaker, Mr Dubey had said that he had received a letter from Mr Dehadrai, sharing “irrefutable evidence of bribes” allegedly exchanged between Ms Moitra and business tycoon Darshan for asking questions in Parliament .
Ms Moitra has denied the allegations and said she is open to any investigation.
The Hiranandani Group has also dismissed the allegations. “We have always been about business and not politics. Our group has always worked with the government in the interest of the nation and will continue to do so,” the spokesperson said.
The Hiranandani Group lost power and infrastructure contracts to the Adani Group and Ms Moitra’s questions were aimed at perpetuating the interests of the Hiranandani Group, Mr Dubey indicated in the letter to the Speaker.
The Adani Group has said the allegations against Ms Moitra prove that some groups and individuals have “worked overtime” to damage its “name, goodwill and market position”.
“In this particular case, the lawyer’s complaint shows that this scheme to smear the reputation and interests of the Adani Group and our Chairman Gautam Adani has been in place since 2018,” an Adani Group spokesperson said in the statement.
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