Cash-for-query row: 'The only things I have received from Darshan Hiranandani...', here's what Mahua Moitra said

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who is currently defending herself in face of the cash-for-query charges levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, said on Friday that the only things she had received from Darshan Hiranandani, the CEO of the Hiranandani Group, as gifts were "one scarf, one lipstick and one eye shadow".

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has accused Moitra of accepting bribes and favours for asking questions in Lok Sabha at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP MP recently wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in this regard.

"The only things I have received from Darshan as a close personal friend was one scarf for my birthday present three or four years ago, then he called from the Dubai airport asking if I wanted something," Mahua Moitra told India Today in her first interview since the cash-for-query row began.

She added, "There is a brand called Bobbi Brown and he bought me a lipstick from the brand, and eye shadow".

Moitra stated that the makeup products were brought for her from Dubai's duty-free store. "I would urge Darshan Hiranandani to come immediately and put on record if he has given anything else to me," she said.

Moreover, she also refuted charges against her submitted to Parliament's Ethics Committee, where it was alleged that Hiranandani funded the renovation of her bungalow. "When I was allotted my personal bungalow, it was in a dilapidated state. I asked Darshan if he could get one of his architects how the doors can be re-designed so light can come in," Moitra said. She also showed pictures of designs sent to her by Hiranandani's architects for the bungalow's rooms, layout and kitchen.

She said that the designs were submitted to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and claimed that her bungalow's renovation was done by the government body.

On Friday, Moitra said she won't appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on October 31 in relation to the cash-for-query allegations levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and instead would appear before it after November 5.

On Thursday, Dubey told the Ethics Committee that it was an "open and shut" case and Moitra should be disqualified.

"Chairman, Ethics Comm announced my 31/10 summons on live TV way before official letter emailed to me at 19:20 hrs. All complaints & suo moto affidavits also released to media. I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre- scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4," she posted on 'X'.   

Moitra also posted the letter she had sent to the chairperson of the committee, where she said that she will be busy with post Vijay Dashami gatherings till November 4 in her constituency in West Bengal's Nadia district and requested to give her a date and time after November 5.

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