‘Accepted undue advantage’: CBI report on ‘cash-for-query’ charge against Mahua Moitra
Moitra has denied wrongdoing, and is set to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on a TMC ticket from Krishnanagar in West Bengal.
A preliminary enquiry (PE) report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the Lokpal claimed that former Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra “unauthorisedly” shared her Parliament login credentials with businessman Darshan Hiranandani and “demanded and accepted undue advantage” in the form of payments towards air tickets, gifts, and help for renovation of her official bungalow in the Lutyens’ Zone, according to people aware of the matter and official documents.
It was on the basis of this report that the Lokpal on Tuesday ordered further investigation into the allegations against the Trinamool Congress leader.
The Lokpal’s judgment cited the PE to say that there was “sufficient prima facie evidence on record that deserves deeper scrutiny” in the charges against Moitra. In light of this, the anti-corruption watchdog asked CBI to probe all aspects of allegations in the next six months.
Read more: Lokpal orders CBI to file FIR against Mahua Moitra in cash for queries charges
People familiar with developments in CBI said that a first information report (FIR) against the TMC leader was expected soon.
Moitra has denied wrongdoing, and is set to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on a TMC ticket from Krishnanagar in West Bengal.
CBI, in its PE report, details of which are now part of the Lokpal order, has given its findings on specific allegations. HT has seen the order.
On the first charge that Moitra shared her login credentials, CBI has said that it is “prima facie substantiated”. It has based this on Hiranandani giving a sworn affidavit that he had Moitra’s login credentials, allowing him to post questions, and that he typed 58 online questions for her. He further said that log-ins from Dubai, Bengaluru and the US had been done using his VPN.
Read more: No case for interference with Mahua Moitra’s expulsion: LS secretariat to Supreme Court
In her defence before the Lokpal, Moitra argued that there were no rules at that time prohibiting her from taking the assistance of Hiranandani in typing and posting questions prepared and drafted by her.
On the allegations that Moitra took ₹2 crore from Hiranandani, CBI has stated in its PE report that sufficient evidence could not be collected due to the limited scope of the inquiry, and that a deeper investigation is required to unearth the truth. On this, the Lokpal noted on this submission: “It is clear that the PE report does not grant a clean chit to Moitra. It merely points out the limited scope of the inquiry.”
Two more allegations examined by CBI pertain to Hiranandani giving gifts and air tickets, and helping Moitra renovate her official bungalow, at 9-B, Telegraph Lane, New Delhi. CBI has claimed that Hiranandani paid ₹1.69 lakh for her trip from Delhi to the UAE using Hiranandani’s credit card. It said also that it appeared Hiranandani helped renovate her official bungalow, and gifted her a Hermes scarf in 2018, and Bobbi Brown make-up kits.
Moitra’s legal team argued before the Lokpal these gifts were part of the “normal exchange between friends”, according to the proceedings, which are part of Lokpal order.
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Terming it a “simplistic argument”, the Lokpal said “whether, in this case, the aspects of undue advantage, quid pro quo and bribery exist, and if so, to what extent, remains inconclusive at this stage... the seriousness of such allegations, including the position and status of Moitra when the alleged offence was committed, would definitely demand deeper scrutiny to arrive at the truth”.
The federal agency is likely to file its FIR against Moitra on Thursday.
HT reached out to Moitra’s legal team for a fresh response on Wednesday but there was no response.