Moitra has accepted that she shared the mail ID and password with Hiranandani but said that there was no quid pro quo involved and it was normal for MPs to let others use their parliament logins.
However, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, the complainant against her, had said sharing login was a violation of the contract MPs signed with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Cash for query case: TMC MP Mahua Moitra to appear before Lok Sabha ethics panel on November 2
Meanwhile, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Wednesday broke her silence on the arrest of her cabinet colleague Jyoti Priya Mallick and the Mahua Moitra issue, calling it “political vendetta”, and accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to “clear the field” ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Nishikant Dubey has accused Moitra of asking questions, which were keyed in through her parliamentary account, at the behest of Hiranandani in return for bribes and favours from the Dubai-based scion of a well-known business family.
“Cash for query”: Mahua Moitra cites prior engagements to Lok Sabha ethics panel, seeks fresh dates
The third-term BJP MP from Godda in Jharkhand on Wednesday referred to “media reports” that her log-in was opened 47 times from Hiranandani’s place in Dubai and as many questions were asked in Parliament.
“If this news is true, then all MPs of the country should stand against Mahua ji’s corruption. Hiranandani asked questions in Lok Sabha for Hiranandani. Are we MPs for promoting selfish interests of capitalists?” Dubey said on X. He added that it was a unique case that Hiranandani was posting questions related to his own business through Moitra’s email.
Hiranandani has submitted an affidavit in which he admitted to giving bribes to Moitra so that she could ask questions to target the Adani group and PM Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, Moitra on Wednesday shared a copy of the letter written by her to the panel dated October 31 which said, “Since ethics committee deemed it fit to release my summons to the media, I think it is important I too release my letter to the committee before my ‘hearing’ tomorrow.”
Cash for query: Mahua Moitra admits to sharing parliament login credentials, BJP demands strict action
In the letter posted on X, Moitra said she would appear before the panel on November 2 and would “demolish” the complaint of cash-for-query against her.
She said parliamentary committees lack criminal jurisdiction and emphasised the importance of involving law enforcement agencies in such cases.
Moitra also expressed her desire to cross-examine alleged “bribe giver” Hiranandani, who submitted an affidavit to the committee “without offering substantial evidence”.