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Mahua wants to cross-examine alleged bribe giver

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 11/3/2023 2:11:22 AM

NEW DELHI, Nov 01: Ahead of appearing on Thursday before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee probing the cash-for-query allegations against her, Trinamul Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday sought to cross examine businessman Darshan Hiranandani who allegedly gave her bribe to target the Adani group through questions in the Lok Sabha.
On Wednesday, she shared a copy of the letter written to the committee as a tit-for-tat of it releasing her summons to the media.
In the letter, Moitra said she will appear before the panel on November 2 and will “demolish” the complaint of cash-for-query against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. She also sought to cross-examine advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, asserting that neither Dubey nor Hiranandani nor Dehadrai provided any documentary evidence to support the charges against her.
She stated in the letter that parliamentary committees lack criminal jurisdiction and emphasised the importance of involving law enforcement agencies in such cases.
"In light of the seriousness of the allegations, it is imperative that the alleged 'bribe-giver' Darshan Hiranandani, who has given a 'suo-moto' affidavit to the Committee with scant details and no documentary evidence whatsoever, be called to depose before the Committee and provide the said evidence in the form of a documented itemised inventory with amounts, date etc," she said.
"I wish to place on record that in keeping with the principles of natural justice I wish to exercise my right to cross-examine Hiranandani," she said. She highlighted that an inquiry without allowing her the opportunity to cross-examine would be "incomplete and unfair".