Lokpal, the government's anti-corruption body, has ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into the “cash-for-query” row involving Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, said BJP leader Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Dubey wrote in Hindi, “Lokpal today, on my complaint, ordered a CBI inquiry into the corruption of accused MP Mahua ji by mortgaging national security.”
However, there has not been an official statement from the CBI on the case. According to a report by CNN-News18, the probe agency is still awaiting an official communication, following which they can register a preliminary enquiry or FIR in the matter.
On Tuesday, Lok Sabha's ethics committee met to consider and adopt its draft report in relation to the allegations against Moitra. There were indications that the committee may make a recommendation against her in its report to Speaker Om Birla amid a possibility of dissent notes from opposition members.
Moitra had earlier alleged that the BJP was planning "criminal cases" against her, days after she appeared before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee in connection with the allegations against her. In a post on X, Moitra had said, "Shaking in my skin to know BJP planning criminal cases against me."
She had also lambasted at the ethics committee chairperson Vinod Kumar Sonkar, who she said, asked her "cheap" and "irrelevant" questions during the hearing on November 2. She stood be her statement an said that Sonkar asked her personal and indecent questions regarding her travels, hotel stays and telephone calls.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has accused Moitra of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for bribes.
According to Dubey, Hiranandani used her parliamentary login ID to file questions from different places, mostly Dubai. Moitra has admitted that he used her login details but has rejected any pecuniary considerations, asserting that most MPs share their login credentials with others.
