Cash-for-query scandal: What the Ethics Panel said as it voted to expel Mahua Moitra from Lok Sabha

The lower house of Parliament on Friday passed a resolution to expel Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from Lok Sabha for 'unethical conduct'.

The Ethics Committee report probing the "cash for query" case that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday had recommended that Moitra "may be expelled" from the Lok Sabha and had called for an "intense, legal, institutional inquiry" by the central government in a "time-bound manner".

"The serious misdemeanours on the part of Mahua Moitra calls for severe punishment. The Committee, therefore, recommend that Mahua Moitra, MP may be expelled from the Membership of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha," the report read.


Calling for a government enquiry it said, "In view of highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct of Mahua Moitra, the Committee recommends for an intense, legal, institutional inquiry by the Government of India in a time-bound manner."

The Committee also recommended an investigation by the government into the 'money trail' of cash transactions between Mahua Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani as a part of 'quid pro quo'.

"The 'money trail' of cash transaction between Smt Mahua Moitra and Shri Darshan Hiranandani as a part of 'quid pro quo' should be investigated by the Government of India in a legal, institutional and time-bound manner," the report said.



On unruly conduct and rumours spread by Bahujan Samaj Party MP Kunwar Danish Ali, the committee recommended that he be 'admonished' for twisting or moulding the intent of question put forth by the Ethics Committee Chairperson to Moitra on November 2.

"Kunwar Danish Ali, MP and Member of the Committee on Ethics should be 'admonished' for twisting/moulding the intent of question put forth by the Chairperson, Committee on Ethics to Smt Mahua Moitra during her deposition on 2 November, 2023 with the objective of fomenting the sentiments of public, at large, as well as, disparaging the self-esteem of Chairperson and other Members as well as breaching Rule 275(2) contained in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha," the recommendation read.

The Ethics Committee report was submitted amid a ruckus created by TMC MPs raising slogans like "haye, haye..."

The Ethics Committee, which investigated the allegations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, adopted its 500-page report on November 9 recommending Moitra's expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha in view of her "highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct."

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said, “This House accepts the conclusions of the Committee that MP Mahua Moitra's conduct was immoral and indecent as an MP. So, it is not appropriate for her to continue as an MP."

Moitra after her expulsion said, "If this Modi government thought that by shutting me up they could do away with the Adani issue, let me tell you this that this kangaroo court has only shown to all of India that the haste and the abuse of due process you have used demonstrates how important Adani is to you. And to what length you will go to harass a single woman MP into shutting her into submission."

(With ANI inputs)