Moitra's cash received for query remained with another MP: Dehadrai

The MP kept the funds for safe-keeping with himself, Dehadrai is quoted as telling the ethics panel.

- RAHUL CHHABRA 

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's claims before the Parliament Ethics Committee that there were no cash transactions involving businessman Darshan Hiranandani and her, were countered by complainant and her former friend Jai Anant Dehadrai, who said he had heard phone conversations between the TMC MP and the tycoon and also witnessed a third MP discussing and making elaborate plans with Moitra on how he would assist her in keeping the funds that were to come, via hawala from Dubai, from Hiranandani.

"This gentleman, a Member of Parliament, kept these funds for safe keeping with himself," Dehadrai is quoted as telling the ethics panel, shows the report tabled in Parliament.

Dehadrai also told the committee, headed by Vinod Kumar Sonkar, that he was able to identify about 50 questions out of the 61 that Moitra had asked on behalf of Hiranandani.

"I had personally witnessed many conversations pertaining to these questions that were ultimately posted directly by Hiranandani himself," he said.

The complainant against Moitra said these questions made it clear that the objective of asking these was not to further any interest of her constituency. The objective was to further the interest of one particular business enterprise by the name of Hiranandani Group and its entities... Another objective was to attack the rival of Hiranandani which was the Adani Group, said Dehadrai.