New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday granted the Lokpal two additional months to reconsider whether sanction should be granted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a chargesheet against Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra in the alleged cash-for-query case.
A bench comprising Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar passed the order after counsels representing both the CBI and Moitra raised no objection to the Lokpal’s plea seeking an extension of time. Recording the submissions, the court said the period for deciding the matter stood extended by two months.
Earlier, on December 19, the high court had set aside the Lokpal’s November 12 order granting sanction to prosecute Moitra, holding that the procedure adopted by the anti-corruption ombudsman was not in conformity with the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. The court had termed the earlier process wholly alien to the statutory scheme and directed the Lokpal to reconsider the issue afresh and take a decision within one month.
Subsequently, the Lokpal approached the court in January seeking additional time, citing the intervening winter holidays as the reason for the delay in complying with the court’s directions.
Moitra is accused of sharing her official Member of Parliament login credentials with Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani, allegedly enabling him to post questions on the Lok Sabha portal in exchange for expensive gifts. While Hiranandani has corroborated the allegations, Moitra has denied receiving any gifts and has maintained that sharing passwords with office staff was a common parliamentary practice.
The controversy surfaced in October 2023 after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, based on a complaint by lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, alleging that Moitra had accepted money and favours for raising questions in Parliament. Dubey later approached the Lokpal with the same allegations.
In March last year, the Lokpal ordered the CBI to register an FIR against Moitra, stating that there was sufficient prima facie material warranting a detailed investigation. The agency was directed to probe all aspects of the allegations within six months and subsequently submitted its report to the Lokpal.
Moitra, who was the sitting MP from Krishnanagar at the time, was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December 2023 following a recommendation by the ethics committee. However, she returned to Parliament after winning the 2024 general elections, retaining her Krishnanagar seat in the 18th Lok Sabha by defeating BJP candidate Amrita Roy.
