Mahua Moitra queries the Hiranandani statement media leak

 Mahua Moitra queries the Hiranandani statement media leak

The Trinamool MP claims that Darshan Hiranandani, CEO of the Hiranandani Group, was pushed into approving the cash-for-query scheme; in a related setback, her attorney Gopal Sankaranarayanan withdrew from the defamation action she brought in the Delhi High Court.

Mahua Moitra questioned the media leak of Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit, which he, the CEO of the Hiranandani Group, maintained in an affidavit to the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee, established Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra gave him her login information so he could "post the questions" directly "on her behalf when required". She also said that the BJP's main goal is to get her removed from the Lok Sabha so that she cannot confront businessman Gautam Adani. 

Nishikant Dubey, a member of the BJP, sent a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on October 15 accusing Ms. Moitra of engaging in a "cash-for-query" scheme. Three days later, his complaint was forwarded to the Lower House's ethics panel, which has now scheduled a hearing on the matter for October 26. The letter from Mr. Dubey was made public in a post by Amit Malviya, the BJP's in-charge of social media, on X (formerly Twitter).

The basis for Mr. Dubey's allegation is information provided by lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, who had a three-year relationship with Ms. Moitra. According to reports, the couple had a contentious split that included a long-running argument about who should get custody of their dog. Ms. Moitra said that throughout the previous six months, she had reported him to the police on several occasions for suspected illegal trespass, theft, obscene communications, and abuse. 

In relation to the cash-for-question situation, Mr. Dehadrai has also complained to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).   

The Hiranandani Group's corporate communications department issued a three-page affidavit to the press on Thursday night, one week before to the scheduled ethics panel hearing. Ms. Moitra "thought that the only way to attack Sh. Modi [Prime Minister] is by attacking Sh. Gautam Adani as well as his Group as both were contemporaneous and they belong to the same state of Gujarat," Mr. Hiranandani stated in his approval of the case.

She inquired once again about being subjected to a "public trial" in a post on X on Friday night. "Chairman Ethics Committee talks to the media in an open manner. The Lok Sabha regulations are listed below. How does a "affidavit" get to the press? The chairman should look into how this was released first. I will say it again: The BJP's top priority is to get me kicked out of LS so they can stop talking about Adani, she added, citing the applicable regulations that prohibit the disclosure of any information about the committee's evidence. 

She suffered a further blow when prominent lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan withdrew from the defamation lawsuit she had brought in Delhi High Court against Mr. Dubey and Mr. Dehadrai. The senior attorney made the call in response to Mr. Dehadrai, Ms. Moitra's ex-partner, complaining to the High Court that Mr. Sankaranarayanan had contacted him on Thursday night and asked him to drop his CBI complaint against Ms. Moitra in exchange for custody of Henry, the dog who had been the focus of their conflict.

When the High Court learned of this, it expressed its "appallment" and inquired as to Mr. Sankaranarayanan's eligibility to participate in this matter given that he "played the role of a mediator."

The High Court's reply, "It's something that you [Mr. Sankaranarayanan] need to answer yourself," caused Mr. Sankaranarayanan to withdraw from the lawsuit. The matter was subsequently scheduled for a second hearing on October 31 before the High Court.

Mr. Dehadrai said that Mr. Sankaranarayanan spoke with him on the phone for thirty minutes on Thursday night during the short hearing. Advocate Dehadrai said that there was a "serious conflict of interest" in the matter.

In response, Mr. Sankaranarayanan made it clear that he sought Mr. Dehadrai since they had previously collaborated. Mr. Sankaranarayanan said he had asked Ms. Moitra for permission to speak with Mr. Dehadrai about the situation, and she had granted it.

Since Mr. Dubey's accusation appeared, leading BJP leaders and ministers have continued to criticize Ms. Moitra. Dharmendra Pradhan, the minister of education, also participated on Friday. "Bribery has no place in the legislative process. The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee is currently working on this issue. Let the committee hear everything; it will do its task. Everything will become obvious, he assured. 

The Trinamool, in contrast, has remained mute during the whole affair despite initially indicating support during the first few days of the dispute.