Mahua Moitra to be Expelled from Lok Sabha, Recommends Ethics Panel in ‘Cash for Query’ Row – News18

The Lok Sabha ethics committee has recommended the expulsion of Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra as MP in the ‘cash for query’ allegations it was probing against her. The parliamentary panel has said the politician’s conduct was “unethical” and “heinous” in nature, highly placed sources said.

According to the ethics panel’s suggestions, which were accessed by CNN-News18, there were “serious misdemeanours” on Moitra’s part. This comes a day before the committee is to adopt a draft report in the matter on Thursday (November 9).

With BJP members in a majority, it was already highly likely that the 15-member committee would be taking a grim view of the charges against Moitra. This became more apparent after she accused its chairperson and BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar of asking filthy and personal questions to her during the hearing.

Moitra had stormed out of that meeting, supported by opposition members of the committee. Congress sources said its members N Uttam Kumar Reddy and V Vaithilingam will submit dissent notes, while BSP member Kunwar Danish Ali is also set to do the same.

Here are the recommendations made against the TMC MP by the ethics committee:

1. The committee has recommended that Mahua Moitra should be expelled from the membership of the 17th Lok Sabha due to her “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct”.
2. Sources in the panel said the committee has also recommended an intense, legal and institutional inquiry by the central government in a time-bound manner.
3. It has also said the “money trail of cash transaction between Mahua Mora and Darshan Hiranandani as part of quid pro quo” should be investigated.
4. The panel has also recommended action against the “unruly conduct and spreading of rumours” by Danish Ali, member of the Lok Sabha ethics committee, on November 2.