The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has included businessman Darshan Hiranandani as an "accused" in their First Information Report pertaining to the alleged cash-for-query case against former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra.
This comes after searches at Ms Moitra's residence in Kolkata in connection with the cash-for-query case on Saturday. The Lokpal on Tuesday ordered the CBI to investigate all aspects of the allegations made against the TMC leader.
Earlier this month, Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by Ms Moitra against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai in October last year for defamation after they alleged that Ms Moitra asked questions in parliament and shared her parliament account login credentials with Mr Hiranandani in return for favours and expensive gifts.
The Lokpal on March 15 had asked the CBI to probe the allegations under Section 20(3)(a) and submit a report within six months. The CBI had also been asked to file periodical reports regarding the status of the investigation every month.
"After careful evaluation and consideration of the entire material on record, there remains no doubt regarding the fact that the allegations leveled against the Respondent Public Servant (RPS), most of which are supported by cogent evidence, are extremely serious in nature, especially in view of the position held by her. Therefore, in our considered opinion, a deeper probe is required to establish the truth," Lokpal said in its order.
The CBI had earlier conducted a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Ms Moitra on the reference from the Lokpal.
Ms Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December last year after the House adopted the report of its ethics committee that held her guilty of allegations against her in the cash for query case.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had filed a complaint against her to Lok Sabha Speaker alleging that she accepted "cash and gifts" from Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani to "ask questions in Parliament".
