‘Cash for Query’ case: Mahua responds to Hiranandani’s statement. Entire text

In the affidavit, Hiranandani spoke about his friendship with TMC MP Mahua Moitra.

Also read: Darshan Hiranandani ‘forced to sign white paper’: TMC MP Mahua Moitra on ‘Cash for Query’ allegations

He then alleged that Moitra saw the attack on the Adani group as a route to fame. Hiranandani then claims that Mahua Moitra shared her Parliament credentials with him. The business magnate added that he used the TMC MP’s credentials to raise questions about the Adani group himself.

Also read: TMC MP Mahua Moitra files defamation case against BJP’s Nishikant Dubey amid furore over ‘cash for questions’ claim

After Hiranadani’s signed three-page statement, the TMC MP claimed that “he was forced to sign a white paper”.

Here is a full text of what Mahua Moitra said after Hiranadani’s affidavit:

“Three days ago (16.10.2023), Hiranandani Group issued an official press release stating that all charges against them were baseless. Today (19.10.2023) an ‘affidavit of the approver’ was leaked to the press. This ‘affidavit’ ” is on a white piece of paper with no letterhead and has no official origin other than a press leak.

A number of questions urgently need to be asked:

1. Darshan Hiranandani has not yet been summoned by the CBI, the Ethics Commission or even by an investigating agency. To whom did he give this statement?

2. The affidavit is on white paper and not on official stationery or notarized. Why would one of India’s most respected/educated businessmen sign a letter like this on white paper unless a gun was put to his head?

3. The content of the letter is a joke. It was clearly drafted by some dimwit in the PMO, who also serves as a creative writer in the IT cell of the BJP. It sings paeans to Modi and Gautam Adani, while linking every opponent of theirs to me and my alleged corruption. Shardul Shroff is the brother of Cyril Shroff, who had an acrimonious parting with him. Cyril Shroff is Gautam Adani’s ‘samdhi’ and was on the SEBI committee in a total conflict of interest. Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor are both people the government is ruthlessly targeting.

Sucheta Dalal is an investigative journalist who always exposes the government. Obviously, someone said, “Sabh kanaam gusaa do, aisa mauka phir nahi ayega!”

4. For example, paragraph 12 claims that Darshan gave in to my demands because he was afraid of displeasing me. Darshan and his father run one of India’s largest business groups and their recent projects in UP and Gujarat have been inaugurated by the CM of Uttar Pradesh and by the Prime Minister. Darshan recently accompanied the Prime Minister as part of his business delegation abroad. Why would such a wealthy, successful businessman, who has direct access to every minister and the PMO, be forced by a prime opposition MP to give her gifts and fulfill her demands? It is completely illogical and only confirms the truth that this letter was written by the PMO and not by Darshan.

5. Why didn’t Darshan hold a press conference and read this out or tweet it himself, or did his company release it? If he has indeed “confessed” this, why doesn’t he release it officially instead of through backchannel leaks? The truth is extremely clear.

This BJP government has been waiting to somehow desperately silence me on the Adani issue. Jai Dehadrai is not some “Supreme Court lawyer” who has done two painstaking investigations into me. He is a jilted ex with a bitter personal history with me who wanted to get revenge on me in some way. If he indeed witnessed all my corruption why was he with me during that time and why did he wait until now to get it

public? And if he were to write to the CBI and the LS Chairman, why would he, out of 543 MPs, forward the letters to Nishikant Dubey, a man whom I have repeatedly exposed in Parliament and outside, and against whom I have pending privilege motions submitted? Why was the contents of Jai’s unverified letter immediately leaked by Nishikant to PTI and used to create a media circus before any investigation was done?

Once the ground was laid, the BJP moved on to step 2. The PMO held a proverbial gun to Darshan and his father’s heads and gave them 20 minutes to sign the letter sent to them. They were threatened with a total closure of all their businesses. His father is in real estate, which is dependent on government permits. And he focuses on the energy sector, data centers and semiconductor chip production, which also depend on government licenses. He has invested over Rs 30,000 crore in UP alone. They were told that there would be an end to it, that the CBI would raid them and that all government business would stop and all PSU bank financing would be stopped immediately.

The draft of this letter was sent by the PMO and he was forced to sign it. And it was immediately leaked to the press. This is in exchange for the government not conducting CBI investigations or aggressively attacking their companies. Although tragic, it is completely understandable that Darshan (who is a dear friend) would have to think about what is at stake for him here – namely the continuation of his family businesses built over decades and the fate of thousands of employees – and break away. be under pressure and sign this.

This is the usual modus operandi of this BJP government, or rather the Gautam Adani-led government by the BJP. Every effort is being made to defame me and to isolate and frighten those close to me. My loved ones have been threatened with ED and CBI raids in the coming days. This selective leak of a settlement shown as part of a media circus only reveals how scared and desperate the BJP and Modi are of Adani’s

corruption comes into the open. This is part of the establishment’s witch hunt for any political leader who dares to question Adani. This is the price we have to pay for opposing the BJP and Adani. But they can’t scare me.

I will continue to take on Mr Adani until he answers the many questions he is obliged to answer to the people of this great country. And I will pay any price to protect my country from these criminals.”

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Updated: Oct 20, 2023 09:04 IST