Mahua Moitra calls ethics panel a ‘kangaroo court’ after draft report recommends action against her

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra has alleged that the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, which was probing her role in the ‘cash for query’ case, was functioning like a ‘kangaroo’ court.

In a post on X the TMC MP also said that the committee doesn’t have the mandate for expelling her from the Lok Sabha. “Proud to go down in parliamentary history as 1st person to be unethically expelled by Ethics Comm whose mandate doesn’t include expulsion. 1st expel & THEN ask govt to ask CBI to find evidence. Kangaroo court, monkey business from start to finish”, Mahua Moitra said in her post.

The Krishnanagar MP also claimed that the allegation levelled at her by the BJP and its MP Nishikant Dubey will help her win her Lok Sabha seat by a larger margin in 2024. “Never Waste a Good Crisis they say. Thanks BJP Dung For Brains — this just helped me double my 2024 winning margin”, Mahua Moitra posted on X.

Proud to go down in parliamentary history as 1st person to be unethically expelled by Ethics Comm whose mandate doesn’t include explusion. 1st expel & THEN ask govt to ask CBI to find evidence. Kangaroo court, monkey business from start to finish.https://t.co/PW5bbgeyIp

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) November 10, 2023

With the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee adopting the report on the ‘cash-for-query’ charges against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, leaders of the several Opposition parties came out strongly in support of the TMC leader on Thursday. The Trinamool Congress has also backed its MP, questioning the functioning of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee headed by BJP MP Vinod Sonkar.

“Today (Thursday), the Ethics Committee meeting was convened. It is unfair that the report was to be tabled in the meeting and then was supposed to be debated and there was going to be voting on it, but the report was out in the public domain even before it was tabled… If there is going to be an investigation, then how is a committee going ahead with a recommendation?” asked TMC Minister and spokesperson Sashi Panja.

Earlier on Thursday, the meeting of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, which is investigating the ‘cash-for-query’ allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, was held wherein it adopted the report with a 6:4 majority.

According to panel chairman Vinod Sonkar, six members of the committee supported the report, including Congress MP Preneet Kaur, while four members opposed it. He further said that the panel will submit a ‘detailed report’ to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday.

“The recommendation report by the Parliament Ethics Committee has been adopted by the Committee with a 6:4 majority. Congress MP Preneet Kaur is one of the six MPs who supported the draft. A detailed report is being submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker on Friday…The action, whatever it is, will be taken by the Speaker,” Sonkar said.

According to sources, the committee, in its draft report, accused Moitra of being involved in ‘unethical conduct’ and sharing her ID login and password with unauthorised person. “One common ground for all the opposition MPs to submit a dissent note is that the inquiry is not fair. They have said that Darshan Hiranandani should have been summoned by the committee to ensure a free and fair enquiry in all respects”, the sources said.

As per sources, the draft report on Mahua Moitra’s cash-for-questions case reveals that she visited the UAE four times from 2019 to 2023 while her login was accessed several times. “On 47 occasions, her member portal login credentials were accessed from Dubai”, according to the draft report of the ethics committee.

The draft report suggested several findings including, “The serious misdemeanours on the part of Mahua Moitra calls for severe punishment. The committee, therefore, recommend that Mahua Moitra, MP, may be expelled from the Membership of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha”.

The 500-page draft report is learnt to have suggested that “serious misdemeanours on the part of Mahua Moitra calls for severe punishment”. “Unethical Conduct’ and ‘Contempt of the House’ by Mahua Moitra by way of accepting money — cash and kind, amenities and various other facilities by Mahua Moitra, MP, from Darshan Hiranandani, Business Tycoon, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates”, it is learnt to have said.

Earlier last month, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against Moitra, accusing her of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.

The Ethics Committee has sought details reports from Information Technology (IT) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding IP address and location. The committee also sought MHA’s input on the dangers of sharing login credentials, emphasizing the legal consequences under Section IT ACT 2000. (ANI)