BREAKING: ED files money laundering case against TMC leader Mahua Moitra in cash-for-query row

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday registered a money laundering case against Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query probe. The case has been registered on the basis of FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the expelled TMC lawmaker. 

Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case against senior TMC leader Mahua Moitra based on Central Bureau of Investigation's case in connection with the cash-for-query case, sources said on Tuesday.

The ED case is based on the FIR filed by the CBI in the cash-for-query irregularities case against the former investment banker.  This comes just a few days after the 49-year-old rejected an ED summons for her and businessman Darshan Hiranandani to appear in court on charges of violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

In response to accusations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, which she denied, the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal ordered the CBI to raid her residence in connection with the cash-for-query issue. Moitra, known for her outspokenness and fiery debates, was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December last year after a parliamentary Ethics Committee's report held her accountable for accepting gifts and illegal gratification.

The TMC leader had recently lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, claiming that the BJP was using the CBI and the ED to sabotage her campaign and damage her reputation prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, she voiced doubts that the poll panel would take any action on the issue. 

Moitra, who was re-nominated by the TMC from the Krishnanagar seat accused the ED and the CBI of acting as "political agents of the saffron camp". Although the cash-for-query scandal prematurely concluded her initial term as a parliamentarian, it undoubtedly bolstered her standing within the party, garnering steadfast backing from both the TMC leadership and the broader opposition.