‘Cash for query’ row: ‘Adani was giving cash to not question,’ alleges Mahua Moitra

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra made an explosive revelation on Friday by saying that Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani approached her “via two Lok Sabha MPs”.

In conversation with India Today, Moitra said, “Mr Adani has approached me via two Lok Sabha MPs in the last three years to sit across the table with him and work out a deal I have refused. The issue is, he was giving cash to not question.”

Moitra’s remarks came amid the ongoing cash-for-query allegations against her.

Moitra said that she refused the deal offered to her by Adani. However, she later said, “I never met him, so I don’t know why he was offering or what price he was paying.”

The TMC MP alleged that she was approached again last week and was asked to “keep quiet”.

“I was given the message: ‘Please end this. Please keep quiet for six months till the elections are over. Everything will be fine afterwards. Even if you want to attack Mr Adani, you can do it slightly, but just don’t take the Prime Minister’s name’,” Moitra claimed.

Moitra has written to the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha stating that she cannot appear before it on October 31 in connection with cash-for-query allegations due to prior engagements and will be available only after November 5.In a letter to panel chairperson Vinod Kumar Sonkar, she said, “I look very much forward to appearing before the Committee at any date chosen by you after November 5, 2023.” Moitra, in a post on X a day after Sonkar announced that she has been summoned on October 31, said she eagerly look forward to physically attending and presenting her defence against the slanderous charges, but is busy till November 4 on account of Durga Puja celebrations going on in West Bengal.

“Chairman, Ethics Comm announced my 31/10 summons on live TV way before official letter emailed to me at 19:20 hrs. All complaints & suo moto affidavits also released to media.  I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre- scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4,” she said in the post.

The panel on Thursday recorded the statements of advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey in the matter and also decided to call Moitra on October 31.

Moitra pointed out that she had written to the committee expressing “eagerness” to be given “a fair hearing and an adequate opportunity to defend myself against the false, malicious and defamatory accusations levelled against me by Shri Dubey and Shri Dehadrai.” “The Committee against the order of natural justice, if I may humbly add- summoned and heard the complainants Shri Dubai & Shri Dehadrai on 26/10/2023 before allowing me, the alleged accused, a chance to be heard,” she said.  “I represent the state of West Bengal where Durga Puja is the biggest festival. I am already committed to attending numerous pre-scheduled Vijaya Dashami Sammelans/meetings (both government and political) in my constituency from 30th October to 4th November 2023 and cannot be in Delhi on 31st October 2023,” she said. 

With inputs from PTI