Cash-for-query row: Delhi HC defers Mahua Moitra's defamation suit to December 11

Mahua Moitra's defamation suit

The Delhi High Court on December 5 deferred the defamation suit filed by Lok Sabha MP from the All India Trinamool Congress Mahua Moitra to December 11. The suit was filed against  BJP’s Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Dehadrai for alleging that she took cash and gifts from a businessman to ask queries in the parliament.

During the course of the hearing, Moitra’s lawyers argued that social media attacks persist despite filing the lawsuit, emphasizing the need for an urgent interim order.

Lawyers for a media houses argued that while Moitra’s lawyer orally stated that they don’t want to drop them, no application has been filed to the effect. The court directed Moitra's lawyers to file an appropriate application and deferred the hearing of the case.

Report of the lok sabha ethics committee recommending Moitra's expulsion from the parliament is likely to be tabled in the parliament in the ongoing winter session. In November, the ethics committee recommended her expulsion over 'cash-for-query' allegations.

On the last date of the hearing, Moitra decided to drop the names of media houses from the defamation suit and fight the suit against Dehadrai and Dubey.

The defamation suit was filed against the BJP MP and Dehadrai after they alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader took cash and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions in Parliament about the Adani group to malign Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Refuting the charges, Moitra has described Dehadrai, a Supreme Court lawyer, as a “jilted ex” who was trying to get back at her. The two have been involved in a legal tussle over their pet Rottweiler, Henry.

But a day before the hearing, there was a fresh twist in the case when a purported statement released by Hiranandani reiterated the charges. Moitra dismissed the statement and said it was done under pressure from the Prime Minister's Office.

Cash for query' storm

On October 15, Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, saying an inquiry committee should be set up to look into accusations against Moitra. He also demanded her immediate suspension from the House, alleging that "bribes were exchanged between businessman Darshan Hiranandani and her to ask questions in Parliament in exchange for cash and gifts".

Dubey and Moitra have been involved in a long-running tussle, with the TMC leader questioning the BJP MP's educational qualifications on several occasions.

Hiranandani 'statement'

But on October 19, in a statement, widely shared by media, Hiranandani admitted using Moitra’s parliamentary login credentials to ask questions after state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) booked capacity at the Adani's Gujarat-based Dhamra LNG import facility in Odisha and not at his firm’s planned unit.