Cash-for-Query case: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday registered preliminary enquiry against Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra in cash-for-query case on the directions of Lokpal, PTI quoted officials.
Sources informed that the Central probing agency has initiated an inquiry against Mahua Moitra to investigate allegations of “bribe-for-query” for raising questions in Parliament.
Reacting to the development, Mahua Moitra said there is no referral order on Lokpal website on CBI Preliminary Enquiry (PE).
BJP Yuva Morcha National President and MP Tejasvi Surya also made a commented on the development and said, "Charges are very grave. The responsibility of a member of Parliament is to function as the voice of the people who have elected us to office, not to function as agents of certain corporate entities. The charges are very serious and I welcome the CBI inquiry into these charges. I hope that the law will take its course and the truth will be out very soon."
"This is a concerted effort and a witch-hunt to harass a TMC MP, TMC and Bengal. We are again reiterating the facts regarding the two allegations against her... The fallout of the ethics committee, the behaviour she meted out and even the recommendation of expulsion... This entire process is a process of malign... Those who could not and will not win in Bengal, it is all a process of that and this will escalate. The CBI and the investigation agencies are not being used, they are being misused...," said TMC leader Shashi Panja.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had approached the Lokpal (anti-corruption body) with a complaint against Moitra over allegations of taking bribes to raise questions in Parliament and accused her of compromising national security for monetary gains.
The Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha is also looking into the allegations against her. Moitra was summoned before the ethic committee earlier this month for questioning but the TMC MP had walked out of the meeting alleging that she was being asked to answer filthy questions.
The CBI has registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) which is the first step towards ascertaining if the allegations merit a full-fledged investigation. If enough prima facie material is found during the PE, the CBI can convert it into an FIR.
Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.
Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that she was being targeted as she had raised questions on the deals of the Adani group.
TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who hasn't been too vocal in cash-for-query case against her MP, on Thursday targeted the Centre saying actions against Moitra will only help her as she would become more popular.
"Now, they are planning to expel Mahua (from Parliament). She will become more popular as a result. Whatever she used to say inside (Parliament), she will now say those things outside. Would anyone do something like this three months before the elections if he is not stupid?" Banerjee said, addressing a special session of the party at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
With inputs from PTI
ALSO READ | Access rules changed for Parliament's website after Mahua Moitra controversy: Know about them
