CBI summons lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai in Mahua Moitra case
Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai was summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with its probe into the cash-for-query case against Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra. Dehadrai was asked to appear for questioning on Thursday. Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha last month, following an Ethics Committee report into the corruption charges against her. She was accused of taking bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for asking questions critical of the government in Parliament.
Why does this story matter?
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and leveled cash-for-query allegations against Moitra. The complaint originated from a letter by Dehadrai, whom Moitra referred to as her "jilted ex." The Speaker had referred the matter to the ethics committee. In October, Dehadrai presented evidence against Moitra to the Lok Sabha panel. The panel recommended canceling her membership due to her "highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal" actions.
Summon issued under 'preliminary enquiry' provision
A CBI notification stated that Dehadrai was "acquainted with the facts and circumstances" of the case, according Hindustan Times. He has been summoned to the agency's headquarters on Lodhi Road in Delhi in this respect. This is part of the "preliminary enquiry or PE" launched by the CBI against Moitra in November of last year. This allows the agency to examine papers and call people for interrogation, but it cannot conduct searches or make arrests.
Who is Jai Anant Dehadrai
Dehadrai is a Supreme Court lawyer. A law graduate from the ILS Law College in Pune, he had a clerkship with the former Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde. Dehadrai and Moitra were said to be partners and parted ways due to some issues including a fight over her pet. She had even filed multiple police complaints against Dehadrai for alleged criminal trespass, theft, vulgar messages, and abuse, according to PTI.
Moitra admitted to sharing her Parliamentary credentials
During the cash-for-query row, businessman Hiranandani had said in an affidavit that Moitra shared her email ID as a Member of Parliament so that he could send her information to raise questions in the Parliament. She had admitted to sharing the parliamentary login but claimed there is no regulation governing this. Moitra claimed that every MP's questions are distributed to their teams. In response to accusations of accepting cash and gifts from him, she dismissed these charges as frivolous.
No relief for Moitra from Supreme Court
On December 11, Moitra moved the Supreme Court, arguing the Lok Sabha panel had no power to expel her and calling it a "kangaroo court." "The recommendation of expulsion was solely based on the complaint that I shared my login. But there is no rule whatsoever in this regard," she added. On January 3, the apex court denied considering her expulsion from the House.
