Lokpal orders CBI probe against Mahua Moitra

The Lokpal of India on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register a case and conduct an investigation against Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) in connection with the cash-for-query case..A coram of judicial member Justice Abhilasha Kumari and members Archana Ramasundaram and Mahender Singh noted that allegations were serious and also supported by cogent evidence. "After careful evaluation and consideration of the entire material on record, there remains no doubt regarding the fact that the allegations levelled against the RPS, most of which are supported by cogent evidence, are extremely serious in nature, especially in view of the position held by her. Therefore, in our considered opinion, a deeper probe is required to establish the truth... It is a duty cast upon us and, indeed, the mandate of the Act, that all attempts be made to root out corruption and corrupt practises that bring under their fold aspects such as undue advantage, illegal gain or benefit and quid pro quo in the discharge of public duties," the order stated..The responsibility and burden are heavier on the shoulders of a public representative, it added..The order was passed on a complaint filed by a Member of Parliament alleging that he received a letter from lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai on October 14,2023 which contained serious and troubling allegations against Moitra. .In the letter, Dehadrai claimed that Moitra gave complete access to her online Lok Sabha account to businessman Darshan Hiranandani, who misused the same to post parliamentary questions of his liking. These questions amount to 50 of the 61 questions Moitra has asked during her tenure as an MP, Dehadrai alleged..This alleged criminal conspiracy was hatched with a view to:i) Further Hiranandani's business interests;ii) Target Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other government functionaries;iii) Target Gautam Adani to whom Hiranandani had lost energy and infrastructure contracts..The Lokpal noted that, as per CBI report presented to them, the first allegation that Mahua shared her login credentials and password of the Lok Sabha Member Portal with the Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani was prima facie substantiate."During the Inquiry, it was revealed that Shri Darshan Hiranandani had sworn an affidavit stating that the RPS had shared her Member Portal Password with him in order to enable him to post questions. He also confirmed upon inquiry that all the 58 (fifty-eight) online questions, which the RPS had asked, were typed by him," the order stated. Hiranandani further confirmed that the login from Dubai, Bangalore and the United States of America had been done by using his VPN and the details of all these questions were given in the Preliminary Inquiry Report, it was observed..Whether the login credentials were shared in lieu of providing various types of assistance and gifts requires deeper investigation due to the limited scope of the inquiry, the Lokpal noted.As per the CBI report, the third and fourth allegations regarding the Mahua's demands for various logistic/travel expenses/gifts in India and abroad, and the support provided by Hiranandani in renovating her official bungalow, have been substantiated, it added..Accordingly, the Lokpal directed 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 also file periodical reports regarding the status of the investigation, every month," it added..[Read Judgment]