TMC MP Mahua Moitra Expelled from Lok Sabha: What Did Ethics Panel Report Say?

The panel said Moitra deliberately shared her Lok Sabha login details with Darshan, demanded cash, luxury items.

Shortly after the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee submitted its report recommending the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra over the 'cash-for-query"' case, Moitra now stands expelled after the House passed a resolution for the same on Friday, 8 December.

The panel's chief, BJP MP Vijay Sonkar had tabled the report, prompting ruckus and leading to the adjournment of the house for two hours.

"Ethics Committee broke every rule," Moitra said outside the Parliament on her expulsion.

But first, what are the observations and conclusions drawn by the Ethics Committee in this case? Here are some top highlights.

'Sharing of Login Credentials'

• "During the period of 1 January 2019 to 30 September 2023, Moitra had visited UAE on four occasions whereas her login credentials (Members Portal) had been operated from Dubai, UAE on 47 occasions."

• "On these 4 dates, (7 November, 2021, 15 April 2022, 20 November, 2022 and 11 August, 2023, the login credentials were operated which go on to establish that some other unauthorized person did it."

• It states that "since several of the documents (as listed in the reply of Ministry of Home Affairs) are not available in public domain, it leads to "possibility of leakage of such sensitive material which could be exploited by inimical elements of National Security."

• Adding to this, it specifies that "transfer of login credentials to unauthorised elements could also provide an opportunity to such elements accessing the system and leading to potential hazards".

Darshan Hiranandani, son of Indian billionaire businessman Niranjan Hiranandani has residency rights in UAE and close relatives who are foreign nationals. "This again, creates a risk of leakage of sensitive material," they stated.

Although the Committee also acknowledged that sometimes Lok Sabha members share login details with their Personal Assistants.

However, as per the terms and conditions under NIC (National Informatics Centre) users are supposed to keep the official user ID and password a secret and change the password once in every 3 months.

Another notable point: the Committee alleges that "approximately 50 questions Moitra asked out of 61, were related to the intent of protecting business interests of Darshan and his Company."

It says that Moitra is guilty of 'unethical conduct' by stating that she deliberately shared her Lok Sabha login details with Darshan to facilitate him to operate his business from Dubai for raising the Parliamentary questions in the House.

'The Demand for Cash, Luxury Items'

As per the Committee, Moitra allegedly demanded favours including cash, expensive luxury items, providing support on renovation of her officially allotted bungalow in Delhi, travel expenses, holidays etc. apart from seeking secretarial and logistical help for her travels within India and other parts of the world. Here are some the observations:

• Quite recently, while giving an interview to India Today's Rajdeep Sardesai, as the Committee states, Moitra accepted that Darshan gifted her 'Hermes Brand' scarf, 'Bobbi Brown' lipstick and eyeshadow and other make up articles.

• Darshan also reportedly provided her car while renovating her official bungalow along with her layout drawings.

• Darshan in his notarized affidavit has corroborated stating "She also made frequent demands of me and kept asking me for various favors, which I had to fill in order to remain in close proximity with her and get her support."

'Amounts to Illegal Gratification'

In view of all the facts of the case before it, the Committee stated that they are of the opinion that the "allegations of accepting illegal gratification by Moitra from Darshan Hiranandani have been clearly established which are undeniable and based on systematic deliberations of the Committee of Ethics."

It added that it amounts to "illegal gratification and a 'quid pro quo,' which is not only unbecoming of Member of Parliament but also grossly an 'unethical conduct.'

Notably, the committee emphasised that they do not have the technical wherewithal and expertise to criminally investigate the 'money trail' which is the task of Central government institutions.

"The Committee, therefore, recommend that the cash transaction between Smt Mahua Moitra and Shri Darshan Hiranandani as part of 'quid pro quo' could be investigated by the Government of India in a time-bound manner," the report reads.

The following are the recommendations by the Committee:

1. "The serious misdemeanours on part of Moitra calls for severe punishment, hence, recommended that she may be expelled from the membership of the 17 Lok Sabha.

2. An Intense, legal, institutional inquiry by the government in a time-bound manner of Moitra's "heinous and criminal conduct."

Meanwhile, Trinamool MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay had written a letter stating that the members of parliament must get 48 hours to study the report.