On Tuesday (2nd April), the Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query scam case, news agency ANI reported citing sources.
This is the second case that the ED so far has registered against Moitra. The first one is linked to the discrepancies in a foreign exchange contravention case under which the ED has issued three summons to Moitra and she did not appear yet before the investigators in response to the case.
ED filed the case against the expelled TMC lawmaker based on an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Moitra. The CBI had earlier filed a case against the former MP in the cash-for-query scam case.
The CBI booked her on the direction of Lokpal who had issued the directions after receiving findings of the agency’s preliminary inquiry into allegations made by BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey against Moitra. The anti-corruption ombudsman had earlier directed the CBI to submit its findings within six months after investigating all aspects of the complaints against her.
The CBI had also raided her premises in connection with the case.
Last year, on 8th December, Lok Sabha expelled her based on the recommendations of the Ethics Committee in a cash-for-query case. Moitra was expelled hours after the Ethics Committee report was tabled in Lok Sabha.
Mahuagate: TMC MP Mahua Moitra faces allegations of ‘cash for query’
On 14th October, the Indian political scene experienced a major tremor as BJP MP Nishkant Dubey wrote to the ethics committee seeking an inquiry against TMC MP Mahua Moitra in the ‘Cash for Query’ matter. He based his complaint on the letter written by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, who alleged that most of the questions asked by the TMC MP in Lok Sabha directly or indirectly benefit businessman Darshan Hiranandani. Dehadrai also accused Moitra of “kidnapping” his pet dog Henry, adding another layer of complications to Mahuagate.
Moitra filed a case against Dubey and Dehadrai but never denied accepting gifts. Interestingly, she has also been accused of sharing her Lok Sabha credentials with Hiranandani so he can post questions independently. Hiranandani has reportedly turned approver in the case and submitted an affidavit suggesting the allegations against Moitra are true.