Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra on Thursday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate to record her statement in connection with an inquiry under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Ms. Moitra was on an election campaign in West Bengal’s Krishnanagar constituency. The agency had summoned her and Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani to record their statements concerning the suspected FEMA violations. This is the third time she was summoned by the ED, but she has not yet joined the inquiry citing prior engagement.
On March 23, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had conducted searches in Kolkata and Krishnanagar after registering an alleged corruption case, based on a reference from the Lokpal.
“...in our considered opinion, a deeper probe is required to establish the truth...accordingly, we direct the CBI...to investigate all aspects of the allegations made in the complaint, and submit a copy of the Investigation Report within a period of six months from the date of receipt of this order. The CBI shall file periodical reports regarding the status of the investigation every month,” the Lokpal order had said.
The Lokpal took action on a complaint filed by another Lok Sabha MP, stating that Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai had written a letter to the complainant levelling serious charges against her. It had considered the complaint on November 8, 2023, and directed a CBI preliminary inquiry.
The CBI found prima facie evidence substantiating the allegation that the public servant had shared her Lok Sabha login credentials, i.e. user identity and password of the Lok Sabha “Member Portal” with Mr. Hiranandani, who used the same to post questions in the name of the then Lok Sabha Member in Parliament.
The CBI also found some merit in the charges that Ms. Moitra had received luxury items, travel expenses, holidays, etc. from Mr. Hiranandani and had also demanded his support for the renovation of her then-official bungalow in Delhi. In its report, the agency said that around the time the bungalow was renovated, the portal login credentials were shared with Mr. Hiranandani.
Ms. Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December 2023 over cash-for-query allegations.
