CBI names Mahua Moitra, Darshan Hiranandani in cash-for-query FIR : ‘Caused threat to national security’:

The case was registered under Prevention of Corruption Act & IPC section for criminal conspiracy, days before raids at TMC leader's residence, and on the back of a Lokpal order.

Darshan Hiranandani named in CBI's FIR in Mahua Moitra Cash for Query Case

MAYANK KUMAR, PTI, 24 March, 2024, New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing corruption allegations against former Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in an alleged cash-for-query scam, has also named Dubai-based real estate mogul Darshan Hiranandani in its First Information Report (FIR) in the case, ThePrint has learnt.

In its FIR filed Thursday, the CBI said: “a regular case is registered against (1) Ms. Mahua Moitra, the then Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) (ii) Sh Darshan Hiranandani s/o Sh Niranjan Hiranandani, Private Person and (iii) unknown others, u/s 120-B of IPC and section 7, 8 & 12 of PC Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) and substantive offences thereof, on the allegations that Ms Mahua Moitra indulged in corrupt practices including, but not limited to, taking bribes and other undue advantages from Sh. Darshan Hiranandani for compromising her parliamentary privileges and causing national security threats by sharing her login credentials of Lok Sabha.”

Significantly, Sections 7 and 8 deal with a public servant accepting bribes. Section 12, meanwhile, enumerates punishment for offences mentioned in Section 7.  

The FIR, which ThePrint has seen, came after anticorruption ombudsman Lokpal ordered a formal inquiry against Moitra last Tuesday. The TMC leader, whom the party is yet again fielding in the Lok Sabha election, has been accused of taking cash and expensive gifts from Hiranandani in exchange for her Parliament login ID and password.    

Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha last December on the recommendation of the House Ethics Committee, which called her alleged act a potential breach of national security, “unethical conduct, breach of privileges available to Members of Parliament and Contempt of the House”. While the TMC leader, one of the most strident voices against the Modi government, has admitted to sharing her credentials with the businessman, she has denied receiving any monetary benefits, describing her expulsion as a “witch-hunt”. 

Meanwhile, the CBI also conducted searches at various locations, including Moitra’s residence, in Kolkata in connection with its probe Saturday, sources in the agency told ThePrint.  

On Sunday, Moitra wrote a letter to the Election Commission of India accusing the CBI and the Modi government, of harassment. 

“It is pertinent to mention that the so-called searches and seizure operations conducted by the CBI resulted in absolutely zero fruition as the CBI admittedly went back empty-handed…This is not surprising as such illegal measures have been undertaken by the CBI to please their political masters at the Centre,” Moitra said in her letter.

What Lokpal said

The corruption allegations against the TMC leader stem from a complaint made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who, in turn, based his complaint on accusations made by advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai. 

In its order Tuesday, the Lokpal said that while CBI’s preliminary inquiry ordered last November prima facie revealed that Moitra “unauthorisedly shared her login credentials of the Members Portal’ of Lok Sabha with Shri Darshan Hiranandani”,  whether this was done “in lieu of providing various types of assistance and gifts requires deeper investigation”.  

It said that some allegations, such as whether Moitra had accepted a bribe of Rs 2 crore also needed further probe since “sufficient evidence could not be collected due to the limited scope of the inquiry”.  

The CBI has been given six months to complete its inquiry. Meanwhile, it must submit a progress report every month, the ombudsman said in its order.

(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)