Delhi HC gives Lokpal two months to decide on CBI charge sheet against Mahua Moitra

NEw new new delhi: The Delhi heights margaret court on fri granted two months to the Lokpal - the anti-corruption ombudsman, to decide afresh on whether the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could file a charge sheet against Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query case.A bench comprising Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar passed the order after lawyers for the CBI and Moitra did not oppose the extension.“Counsel for the non applicants have no objection. The period of disposal is extended by two months,” the court said in its order.The high court on December 19 had set aside the Lokpal’s earlier decision of November 12 granting sanction, holding that the procedure adopted by the ombudsman was not in keeping with the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (Act) and was wholly alien to the scheme of the statute.The court consequently directed Lokpal to reconsider the issue of sanction afresh in accordance with the provisions of the Act and to take a decision within one month.However, in January, the Lokpal moved an application for extension of time by two months citing the intervening winter holidays.Moitra is accused of giving access to her official MP ID to Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani to post questions on the Lok Sabha portal on her behalf in return for expensive gifts from the businessman. While Hiranandani has corroborated the charges, Moitra has denied the allegation that she received gifts. She has also claimed that it was common practice for lawmakers to share their passwords with people in their office.In October 2023, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla based on a complaint by lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai that claimed Moitra had accepted money and favours to ask questions in Parliament. The same month, Dubey approached Lokpal over the “cash-for-query” charge against Moitra.In March last year, the Lokpal ordered CBI to file an FIR against Moitra, saying there was “sufficient prima facie evidence on record that deserved deeper scrutiny.” It directed the federal agency to complete investigations into “all aspects of the allegations” against Moitra within six months. CBI submitted its report to Lokpal.At the time of the allegation, Moitra was the sitting MP from Krishnanagar, but was expelled from the House in December 2023, based on a recommendation by the ethics committee. She later won in the 2024 general elections and retained her seat in the 18th Lok Sabha by defeating her nearest rival Amrita Roy of the BJP.