Mahua Moitra Files Defamation Case Against BJP's Dubey Over 'Cash For Queries' Allegations

TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday filed defamation case in Delhi High Court against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, former personal friend and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai along with several media organisations in connection with 'cash for queries' allegations, according to Bar and Bench.

The matter will come up for hearing on Friday and Justice Sachin Datta will hear the case. Earlier, the TMC MP had sent legal notices to Dubey and Dehadrai.

In a letter addressed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Dubey, on Sunday, accused Moitra of taking "bribes" from a businessman to ask questions in Parliament and urged Birla to constitute an "inquiry committee" to look into the charges against her.

The BJP MP wrote to Birla under the subject "Re-emergence of nasty 'Cash for Query' in Parliament, Direct involvement of Smt. Mahua Moitra, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) for serious 'Breach of Privilege', 'Contempt of the House' and a 'Criminal Offence' under Section 120-A of IPC".

Citing a letter he has received from an advocate, Dubey said the lawyer has shared "irrefutable" evidence of bribes exchanged between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and a businessman.

In his letter to the speaker, Dubey said 50 of 61 questions she asked in Lok Sabha till recently were focused on the Adani Group, the business conglomerate which the TMC MP has often accused of malpractices, more so after it was at the receiving end of a critical report of short-selling from Hindenburg.

The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha is chaired by BJP member Vinod Kumar Sonkar.

Moitra has hit back, saying she "welcomes any move against her after the Lok Sabha Speaker is finished dealing with pending charges against him (Dubey)".

Meanwhile, Adani Group referred to Dubey's complaint without referring to him by name but said a Dehadrai has "filed a complaint with the CBI in the form of a sworn affidavit bringing on record the 'commission of an elaborate criminal conspiracy by Mahua Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani, CEO of Hiranandani Group for specifically targeting Gautam Adani and his group of companies through parliamentary questions."

"He has further stated that, as a quid pro quo, Ms. Moitra received bribes and undue favours from Hiranandani," the statement from Adani Group said.