The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has proposed severe punishment, including expulsion, for TMC MP Mahua Moitra following its report submission on Friday. The committee, led by BJP lawmaker Vinod Kumar, has suggested that Moitra undergo an intense government inquiry due to allegations of accepting cash and gifts in exchange for posing questions in Parliament.
The report highlighted Moitra's alleged unethical behavior and recommended a thorough, time-bound investigation by the Government of India into her conduct. Moitra faces accusations of targeting the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her parliamentary inquiries, allegedly at the request of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in return for gifts.
If the House approves the panel's recommendation, Moitra could face expulsion. Furthermore, the committee has called for an inquiry into the money trail regarding cash transactions between Moitra and Hiranandani, emphasizing a potential 'quid pro quo' arrangement.
The Ethics Committee's report criticized Moitra for unethical conduct, accusing her of contempt of the House for sharing her Lok Sabha login details with an unauthorized individual. The report includes the original complaint filed by another individual in October, a letter from advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, and a notarized affidavit from Darshan Hiranandani, all dated in mid-October.
Additionally, the committee suggested that fellow MP Danish Ali be admonished for what they described as "unruly conduct and spreading rumors." The report accused Ali of twisting the intent of questions posed by the Committee on Ethics to Moitra during her deposition on November 2, 2023, aiming to incite public sentiments and disparage the self-respect of the committee members, while also breaching Rule 275(2) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
