Mahua Moitra's Parliament login accessed from US and all that's happening in the Cash-for-Query case

Amidst the ongoing "cash-for-query" controversy, arising from allegations that Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra accepted bribes to pose questions in the Lok Sabha against businessman Gautam Adani, a recent revelation unfolds.

It has been disclosed that Moitra's Parliament login ID was accessed not only from Dubai but also from New Jersey, United States, and Bengaluru, adding a new layer of complexity to the scandal.

What

• Moitra admitted to sharing her Parliament login ID and password with businessman Darshan Hiranandani, as reported by India Today. 

• The purpose was for someone in Hiranandani's office to type in the questions that Moitra wanted to ask in Lok Sabha.

• However, sources from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) claim that Moitra's login credentials were used from New Jersey, US and Bengaluru when she was in Kolkata and Delhi on the same day.

• Moitra insists that Hiranandani did not log in on his own to post questions.

"Someone in Darshan Hiranandani's office typed the question, which I gave on the Parliament website. After putting the question, they would call me to inform, and I would read all the questions in one go as I am always busy in my constituency. After putting the question, an OTP (one-time password) comes on my mobile phone. I would give that OTP and only then is the question submitted. So, the idea that Darshan would log in to my ID and put in questions of his own is ludicrous," the TMC MP had told India Today.

This revelation adds a new layer to the ongoing controversy surrounding Moitra.

What did the ethics committee say?

• The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has recommended her expulsion as an MP, accusing her of accepting "illegal gratifications" to raise questions in Parliament at Hiranandani's behest.
• Moitra firmly denies these allegations, labeling them as "defamatory, false, baseless, and not supported by even a shred of evidence."
• The Ethics Committee's report has been submitted to Speaker Om Birla's office and adopted by a majority in the Committee.
• This situation has escalated, raising questions about the authenticity of the claims and the documents involved.

Also Read: Opposition leaders report Apple alerts of 'state-sponsored attack'

Mamata Banerjee breaks silence

• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee broke her silence on the controversy surrounding Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's potential expulsion from the Lok Sabha, suggesting that it could enhance Moitra's popularity in the lead-up to next year's general election.

• Banerjee stated that although there are plans for Moitra's expulsion, it might work to her advantage as she would speak openly about what she previously said in Parliament, hold daily press conferences, and gain public attention.

• Moitra, accused of taking bribes to ask questions in Parliament, has been recommended for expulsion by the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, a decision now with Speaker Om Birla.
• Despite the controversy, Moitra has been appointed as the district chief of the Trinamool's Krishnanagar office.

New rule of Lok Sabha

• The Lok Sabha Secretariat has clarified that answers to MPs' questions discussed during the Question Hour in Parliament are supposed to be kept confidential until the question is actually asked and answered in the House.
• This clarification, given in a statement dated November 10, also states that if a question isn't addressed within the allocated time, the reply should not be made public until the Question Hour concludes.

This clarification comes amidst allegations against Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, who is accused of accepting a bribe from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to pose questions targeting the government.

Moitra has admitted to sharing her Parliament website login details with Hiranandani, asserting that there are no rules against such sharing, and that responses to questions become public information when released to MPs.

Also Read: Mahua Moitra's cash-for-query row: What you need to know

What is the Cash-for-Query case?

• Mahua Moitra is being accused in a 'cash-for-query' case, claimed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.
• He says Moitra took money from a businessman in Dubai to ask specific questions in Parliament targeting the Adani Group.
• Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, asking for an investigation and provided evidence from Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai.

• Both Dubey and Dehadrai spoke to the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on October 26.
• The committee took the case and told Moitra to appear on October 31.
• She asked for a later date after November 5, but it was denied, and the new date was set for November 2.
• Moitra's letter to the Ethics Committee Chairman, BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, became public on November 1.

On November 9, the Parliament's Ethics Committee suggested she be disqualified for the rest of her time in the 17th Lok Sabha.

Also Read: Ethics panel wants Mahua Moitra disqualified in cash-for-query case. What now?