TMC leader Mahua Moitra moves Supreme Court challenging her expulsion from Lok Sabha

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra has moved to the Supreme Court following her expulsion as a Lok Sabha MP over the 'cash-for-query' case.

Moitra was expelled on December 8 after the Lok Sabha accepted an Ethics Committee report accusing her of accepting gifts and illicit gratification from businessman Darshan Hiranandani. She has strongly refuted these charges.

Post her expulsion, Moitra criticised the ethics panel for 'acting without evidence', labelling it a 'weapon' used to 'overpower' the Opposition. She claimed the Ethics Committee and its report 'violated every rule'. Representing the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal, Moitra stated she was not given an opportunity to defend herself when the ethics panel's report was discussed in the House.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) representative for the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal claimed she was denied an opportunity to defend herself when the ethics panel's report was tabled in the House.

She further stated she was unable to cross-examine her estranged partner, Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who levelled 'cash-for-query' accusations against her.

The allegations were initiated by Dubey, accusing TMC of soliciting questions in Parliament 'for cash and gifts' from Hiranandani. Dubey referred to a letter from advocate Dehadrai, citing 'irrefutable evidence' of the alleged transaction between Moitra and Hiranandani.

Hiranandani submitted a letter to the ethics committee, alleging Moitra shared her Parliamentary login credentials to enable him to 'post questions on her behalf'.

On November 2, TMC leader Mahua Moitra faced the ethics committee. However, due to the nature of the questions, she, along with other Opposition leaders, exited the meeting. The chairman of the ethics panel was criticised for posing 'personal questions' to Moitra. Post this incident, the panel adopted its report on the allegations against Moitra, resulting in her expulsion from her Lok Sabha MP position.

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