As Trinamool has now officially distanced itself from Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra’s alleged action of taking cash and gifts from Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for questions against Adani.
In Parliament, BJP’s Amit Malviya said it is not surprising that Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee abandoned Mahua Moitra — like many other “scam-tainted” party leaders. “It is not surprising that Mamata Banerjee has abandoned Mahua Moitra. She will defend no one else but Abhishek Banerjee, who is no less delinquent… Several TMC leaders are in jail on serious corruption and criminal charges but Mamata Banerjee has maintained radio silence,” Malviya posted on X formerly known as Twitter as the row escalates.
Days after the controversy started with BJP MP Nishikant Dubey writing to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking a probe into claims that Mahua Moitra gave her Parliament login and password to industrialist Darshan Hiranandani to post questions against Gautam Adani, Trinamool said the party will not say a ‘single word’ on this. “The related person may explain or answer the issues but not Trinamool Congress,” party state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said. This is not the first time that the party distanced itself from Mahua. During the controversy over Mahua’s statement on goddess Kaali, the party did not condone her.
‘Got message about impending CBI raid’
The row got murkier after Darshan Hiranandani gave an affidavit and admitted to having used Mahua Moitra’s Parliament login to post questions. Meanwhile, advocate Jai Ananat Dehardai, Mahua’s ex, who have apparently acted as the whistle-blower in the case, alleged that the MP ‘kidnapped’ his dog Henry. He alleged Mahua Moitra’s lawyer approached him for a mediation in exchange for Henry.
Mahua Moitra shrugged off the allegations, Darshan Hiranandani’s admission and said she got a message about an “impending CBI raid”. “I invite CBI to come home & count my pairs of shoes. But first please file FiR into ₹13,000 crore coal money Adani stole from Indians,” Moitra tweeted. In her counter, Mahua Moitra suggested that the login IDs of MPs might be accessed by their PAs, researchers, interns and staff. “Request NIC to please release ALL details of MPs publicly to show they were physically present in place from where IDs were accessed by their PAs & researchers/interns/staff. Don’t use Fake Degree wala for leak, make this public NOW,” Mahua wrote.
Nishikant Dubey has moved Lokpal, the corruption body watchdog, against Mahua Moitra as the Lok Sabha Ethic Committee is looking into the allegations.