New Delhi:

BJP leader Amit Malviya late last evening took a jibe at Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, saying that her party has “abandoned” her amid a huge row over allegations that she took bribes for asking questions in parliament.

He also alleged that Trinamool Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has maintained silence whenever its leaders are arrested. 

“It is not surprising that Mamata Banerjee has abandoned Mahua Moitra. She will defend no one else but Abhishek Banerjee, who is no less delinquent… Several TMC leaders are in jail on serious corruption and criminal charges but Mamata Banerjee has maintained radio silence,” Amit Malviya said on X – earlier known as Twitter.

Trinamool Congress yesterday refused to comment on the controversy surrounding Mahua Moitra. “The party has nothing to say on this issue. We think the person around whom this controversy is revolving is best suited to react to this,” Trinamool’s West Bengal general secretary and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

Party sources say that the party doesn’t want to get involved in the controversy and hence will be maintaining a distance.

Mahua Moitra is accused of receiving Rs 2 crore in cash from businessman Darshan Hiranandani for asking questions in parliament.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking a probe into the allegations that Ms Moitra received bribes from the businessman and also gave him her parliament login credentials.  

Mr Dubey yesterday also wrote to the Lokpal and sought an investigation into the Trinamool Congress MP’s actions. In his complaint to the anti-corruption authority, Mr Dubey has said he is in possession of a letter by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai which laid out “disturbing facts with detailed proof” against Ms Moitra.

“In the letter, Mr Dehadrai provides in great detail how, when and where Ms Moitra received bribes from a businessman Sh Darshan Hiraanandani,” the complaint said.

Darshan Hiranandani has claimed that Ms Moitra made frequent demands of him and asked him for various favours, including gifting her expensive luxury items. The businessman also alleged the MP had given him her parliament login credentials and that she saw attacking the Adani Group as a way to become famous.

Calling the allegations very serious, the head of the Ethics Committee, Vinod Sonkar, said that the committee will first examine Mr Dubey’s letter and Mr Hiranandani’s affidavit. We will then also hear Ms Moitra’s version, who has vehemently denied the charges and said she is prepared for any inquiry.

Ms Moitra has denied the allegations and said she is ready to face questions from the Lok Sabha’s Ethics Committee.

BJP leader Amit Malviya late last evening took a jibe at Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, saying that her party has “abandoned” her amid allegations that she took bribes for asking questions in parliament.

He also alleged that Trinamool Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has maintained silence whenever its leaders are arrested.

“It is not surprising that Mamata Banerjee has abandoned Mahua Moitra. She will defend no one else but Abhishek Banerjee, who is no less delinquent… Several TMC leaders are in jail on serious corruption and criminal charges but Mamata Banerjee has maintained radio silence,” Amit Malviya said on X – earlier known as Twitter.

Trinamool yesterday refused to comment on the controversy surrounding Mahua Moitra. “The party has nothing to say on this issue. We think the person around whom this controversy is revolving is best suited to react to this,” Trinamool’s West Bengal general secretary and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

Party sources say that the party doesn’t want to get involved in the controversy and hence will be maintaining a distance.

Mahua Moitra is accused of receiving Rs 2 crore in cash from businessman Darshan Hiranandani for asking questions in Parliament.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has written to the Lokpal and sought an investigation into the Trinamool Congress MP’s actions.

In his complaint to the anti-corruption authority, Mr Dubey has said he is in possession of a letter by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai which laid out “disturbing facts with detailed proof” against Ms Moitra.

“In the letter, Mr. Dehadrai provides in great detail how, when and where Ms. Moitra received bribes from a businessman Sh. Darshan Hiraanandani,” the complaint said.

In his affidavit to the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, Mr Hiranandani claimed that Ms Moitra made frequent demands of him and asked him for various favours, including gifting her expensive luxury items. The businessman also alleged the MP had given him her Parliament login credentials and that she saw attacking the Adani Group as a way to become famous.

Calling the allegations very serious, the head of the Ethics Committee, Vinod Sonkar, said that the committee will first examine Mr Dubey’s letter and Mr Hiranandani’s affidavit. We will then also hear Ms Moitra’s version, who has vehemently denied the charges and said she is prepared for any inquiry.

Ms Moitra has denied the allegations and said she is ready to face questions from the Lok Sabha’s Ethics Committee.

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court lawyer who had written to the CBI and a BJP MP alleging that he had evidence of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra accepting bribes from a businessman to ask questions in parliament, has now sent a letter to the Delhi Police commissioner claiming that he anticipates “a very serious threat to his life” because of the complaint.

Jai Anant Dehadrai has also claimed a direct attempt was made to coerce him into withdrawing his complaint and threats of harming his reputation were made if he did not agree.

Mr Dehadrai, who Ms Moitra has called her “jilted ex”, was reportedly in a relationship with the Trinamool MP and the two have allegedly not been on the best terms since they parted ways. One of the reasons for the friction between them is their pet dog, a Rottweiler named Henry. Both have accused the other of ‘stealing’ Henry and a battle for his custody is being fought in court. The dog is currently with Ms Moitra.

In his letter to the commissioner, Mr Dehadrai has said he was writing under “extremely distressing circumstances” and was anticipating a threat to his life because of his complaint dated October 14 against Ms Moitra and others, which he had submitted to the CBI and to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. 

The lawyer alleged that, on Thursday, a direct attempt was made to coerce him into withdrawing his complaint. 

“Threats of reputational harm were also conveyed in case I did not agree. The very specific demand was that I should unconditionally withdraw both the complaints in which very serious allegations pertaining to national security and corruption have been alleged by me against Smt. Moitra and others. It was stated that my pet Rottweiler Henry would be returned by Ms. Moitra to me if I agreed to withdraw the said complaints,” Mr Dehadrai wrote.