Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani questioned by CBI in cash-for-query scam: Report
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has interrogated Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani in connection with allegations of corruption related to the cash-for-query scandal, which led to the disqualification of Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha
FollowThe Central Bureau of Investigation is believed to have examined Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani in connection with allegations of corruption in the cash-for-query scandal, according to a report. The probe is linked to the controversy that saw Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra being disqualified from the Lok Sabha last year. Sources suggest that Hiranandani is among a dozen individuals purportedly questioned by the agency thus far. As per the Times of India, the CBI reportedly furnished Hiranandani with a questionnaire comprising over 50 queries. However, the agency has not confirmed whether the interrogation took place in Delhi, Dubai, or through online means.
Moitra, who has also allegedly been questioned by the CBI, is accused of soliciting cash and gifts from Hiranandani in exchange for raising questions in Parliament aimed at targeting industrialist Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In October last year, Hiranandani submitted a sworn affidavit to the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, acknowledging the use of Moitra's parliamentary credentials to pose questions aimed at Adani. This revelation came after the Indian Oil Corporation's decision to book capacity at Adani's Dhamra LNG import facility in Odisha instead of Hiranandani's planned facility.
The relationship between Hiranandani and Moitra reportedly began during the Bengal Global Business Summit in 2017, with Moitra then serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Over time, their association allegedly developed into a close personal friendship, with Hiranandani purportedly expecting Moitra's assistance in securing business ventures in states governed by opposition parties.
Moitra has vehemently denied the allegations, labelling them as a "BJP hit job" and claiming they are part of a concerted effort to besmirch her reputation. She contends that the accusations were strategically leaked to the media and has challenged the veracity of Hiranandani's claims regarding cash payments, citing a lack of documentary evidence. In her response, Moitra clarified that the only gifts she received from Hiranandani were "one scarf, one lipstick, and one eye shadow." The CBI had previously approached the Lok Sabha secretariat to obtain the Ethics Committee report, which had recommended Moitra's expulsion from Parliament.
The CBI's inquiry into the matter stems from a complaint forwarded by the Lokpal, marking another significant development in the ongoing investigation.
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