The lawyer said Ms Moitra coming to his house was a "grave cause of concern" for him.
Three weeks after writing to the Delhi Police commissioner claiming that he anticipated a threat to his life, the Supreme Court lawyer who had alleged that Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra had accepted bribes from a businessman to ask questions in parliament, has now written to the police and accused her of trespassing and intimidating his staff.
Lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, whom Ms Moitra has called a "jilted ex", had written to the CBI and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claiming that the Trinamool MP had taken bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions in Parliament. These complaints led to the current Lok Sabha Ethics Committee probe against Ms Moitra.
In his letter to the station house officer of the Hauz Khas police station on Tuesday, Mr Dehadrai said that Ms Moitra had gone to his house unannounced on November 5 and 6, days after she appeared before the ethics committee.
“Given her past history of filing fraudulent criminal complaints against me (24.03.2023 and 23.09.2023) and falsely alleging offences such as trespass, and criminal intimidation, and thereafter withdrawing the same in writing (on 04.10.2023), it is a grave cause for concern to me. There is every possibility that Smt. Moitra might intentionally come to my residential premises with the sole objective of filing further fraudulent complaints against me,” Mr Dehadrai wrote.
'Cause Of Concern'
Mr Dehadrai was reportedly in a relationship with the Trinamool MP and they have allegedly not been on the best terms since they parted ways. One of the reasons for the friction between them is their pet dog, a Rottweiler named Henry. Both have accused the other of 'stealing' Henry and a battle for his custody is being fought in court. The dog is currently with Ms Moitra.
"I have previously informed the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, on 19.10.2023 and then on 21.10.2023 regarding these fraudulent and bogus complaints which Ms Moitra had foisted on me with the objective of using them as leverage to force/compel me to hand over the custody of my pet dog, and I have also flagged to the Commissioner the very serious threat to my life which I anticipate on account of the Complaints filed by me with CBI against Smt. Moitra and her associates / accomplices," the letter said.
The lawyer said that, in this context, her coming to his residence was a "grave cause for concern" for him as it intimidates his staff. He also asked why someone who claimed an acrimonious past with him would go to his residence for two days in a row.
Mr Dehadrai said he feared that the Trinamool MP was using Henry as an excuse to go to his residence to intimidate him. He pointed out that she had filed various complaints against him, including a defamation case pending in the Delhi High Court, and said it was suspicious and inappropriate for her to show up at his house without any invitation or cause.
"I wish to make it absolutely clear that I have not invited Smt. Moitra to my residence, and that she has come uninvited and with a very apparent intention to commit trespass and to intimidate me. I have every reason to believe that Ms Moitra and her close associate... are conspiring to cause physical harm to me as revenge for filing criminal complaints alleging corruption against them. I am requesting you once again to provide adequate security to me," he added.
The lawyer requested the police to investigate the matter, register a First Information Report against Ms Moitra and take necessary action against her for the alleged trespass and intimidation.
The complaint pertains to trespass, criminal intimidation and breach of peace under Sections 451, 453, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.