NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Friday expelled Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra after holding her guilty of sharing her Parliament login credentials with others and accepting gifts from a businessman to extend favours.
After a heated debate during which Moitra was not allowed to speak, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion to expel the Trinamool member for “unethical conduct”, which was adopted by a voice vote.
The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha had recommended Moitra’s expulsion from the House over the “cash-for-query” allegation.
Key findings and conclusions made in the panel report:
- “The highly objectionable and deplorable conduct of Mahua Moitra also prima facie has an impact on national security … the serious misdemeanours on the part of Mahua Moitra calls for severe punishment, which could not be less than her immediate ‘expulsion’ from the Membership of the 17th Lok Sabha”.
- “As regards taking ‘cash’ from Darshan Hiranandani as a sequel to ‘quid pro quo’, the committee wish to candidly point out that they do not have the technical wherewithal and expertise to criminally investigate and unearth the ‘money trail’, which is invariably the task of the Central government institutions. The committee, therefore, recommend that the cash transaction between Mahua Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani as a part of ‘quid pro quo’ could be investigated by the Government of India in a time-bound manner.”
- “In view of highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct of Mahua Moitra, the committee recommends for an intense, legal, institutional inquiry by the Government of India in a time-bound manner.”
- The panel identified two broad aspects of investigation: “One is of ethics and the other is of criminality”.
- ‘Unethical Conduct’ and ‘Contempt of the House’ by Mahua Moitra, MP for sharing her Lok Sabha login credentials, i.e., user ID and Password of Lok Sabha ‘Members Portal’ to unauthorised person and its impact on the National Security.
- ‘Unethical Conduct’ and ‘Contempt of the House’ by Mahua Moitra by way of accepting money – cash and kind, amenities and various other facilities by Smt. Mahua Moitra, MP from Shri Darshan Hiranandani, Business Tycoon, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
- “A threadbare examination establishes beyond doubt that Mahua Moitra had deliberately shared her Lok Sabha login credentials with Darshan Hiranandani, a business tycoon based in Dubai, thereby facilitating him to operate the same from Dubai for raising the Parliamentary questions in Lok Sabha.”
- Mahua Moitra is guilty of ‘Unethical Conduct’, ‘Breach of her privileges available to Members of Parliament’ and ‘Contempt of the House’.
- The allegations of accepting illegal gratification by Mahua Moitra from Darshan Hiranandani have been clearly established … this amounts to illegal gratification and a ‘quid pro quo’, which is not only unbecoming of Member of Parliament but also grossly an ‘Unethical Conduct’.
- During the period from January 1, 2019 to September 30,2023, Mahua Moitra visited United Arab Emirates on four occasions. Her login credentials, ie., Members Portal had been operated from Dubai on 47 occasions.
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