Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra accepted gifts, like “luxury items” and the use of a car, and such “serious misdemeanours… call for severe punishment”, the Ethics Committee said Friday in its report into allegations Ms Moitra took bribes, including Rs 2 crore in cash, from businessman Darshan Hiranandani, to ask questions critical of the Narendra Modi government in Parliament.

The 500-page report quoted from Mr Hiranandani’s statement, in which he said, “… demands that were made, and favours that were asked, included gifting her expensive luxury items, providing support on renovation of her officially allotted bungalow in Delhi, travel expenses, holidays…”

The report noted that “allegations of accepting illegal gratification (are) clearly established and are undeniable”. It declares “taking gifts from (a) businessman to whom she handed over log-in (details) amounts to a quid pro quo… (which is) unbecoming of an MP and is unethical conduct”.

The Ethics Committee, therefore, said it “recommend(s) that Smt Mahua Moitra, MP, may be expelled from the membership of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha”. It also called for “a legal institutional inquiry by the Government… in view of unethical, heinous, and criminal conduct of Smt Moitra…”

READ | Government To Bring Motion In Parliament To Expel Mahua Moitra: Sources

Further action against Ms Moitra has been referred to investigative agencies with the technical expertise to probe the “money trail”, with the committee recommending a “time-bound” inquiry.

On the point that Ms Moitra accepted cash as part of the bribes, the Ethics Committee said, “… (we) wish to candidly point out that (we) do not have the technical wherewithal and expertise to criminally investigate and unearth the ‘money trail’, which is the task of the central government…”

Ms Moitra and her supporters have refuted graft charges against her by pointing out no cash has been, so far, recovered in this matter. There is, though, a CBI inquiry that is now underway.

READ | CBI Begins Probe In Cash-For-Query Case Against Mahua Moitra

The report, tabled in the Lok Sabha this afternoon triggered a row between the ruling BJP and the opposition, which has demanded a detailed discussion on this issue and a division of votes to force the government’s hand. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm, when the motion to expel Ms Moitra is expected to be tabled. If passed, the motion will pass given the BJP’s overwhelming majority.

The ruling party on Thursday issued a three-line whip to all its MPs.

READ | Ethics Panel Approves Mahua Moitra’s Expulsion In 6:4 Verdict

Earlier today, a confident, and typically fierce Ms Moitra strode into Parliament, pausing only to tell reporters, “Maa Durga aa gayi hai, ab dekhenge…Jab naash manuj par chhata hai, pehle vivek mar jaata hai (Maa Durga has come! Now we will see… when destruction comes, conscience dies first).”

“They have started… and now you will watch ‘Mahabharat ka rann (battlefield)’.”

#WATCH | TMC MP Mahua Moitra says, “Maa Durga aa gayi hai, ab dekhenge…Jab naash manuj par chhata hai, pehle vivek mar jaata hai. They have started ‘vastraharan’ and now you will watch ‘Mahabharat ka rann’.”

Ethics Panel report on her to be tabled in Lok Sabha today. pic.twitter.com/r28o2ABVbB

— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2023

Mahua Moitra, 49, has flatly denied allegations she took bribes.

She was also accused of surrendering her parliamentary log-in credentials to Mr Hiranandani. She later admitted she did this but argued it was common practice among MPs.

Trinamool boss and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of having “planned” the expulsion of Ms Moitra – who is one of the ruling party’s fiercest and most vocal critics. “… but this will help her before the election,” Ms Banerjee said. The 2024 Lok Sabha election is just months away.

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Shahana, a 26-year-old doctor in Kerala, died by suicide after her boyfriend allegedly demanded dowry and her family couldn’t fulfill her demands. In a suicide note, purportedly written by Dr Shahana, she alleged that her boyfriend Dr EA Ruwais’s dowry demands abetted her to die by suicide.

“It is true that my family cannot provide one and a half kg of gold, acres of land if they ask for the same,” Dr Shahana wrote in the purported note. The police recovered the suicide note from the apartment where she was found dead and arrested the accused, PTI reported.

Dr Shahana’s family alleged that the accused’s family demanded 150 gold sovereigns, 15 acres of land and a BMW car in dowry. When Dr Shahana’s family said they could not meet the demand, her boyfriend’s family called off the wedding.

The police, quoting the victim from the recovered suicide note, said she died by suicide as the accused’s intention was to ruin her life by promising to marry her. In her suicide note, Shahana said that everyone seemed focused on money, according to Matrubhumi

Jasim Nas, Shahana’s brother, told Matrubhumi that, “In November, my mother and I visited their home and met his family. His father was adamant on dowry. I told them that we would give as much as we could, but they were not ready to negotiate.” Shahana has two siblings, her father died two years ago.

Ruwais and Shahana were in a relationship, “but he did not stand by her”, Jasim said. “We were open to the idea of a registry marriage, but Ruwais wanted the dowry demanded by his parents. He backed out,” he said, adding that these developments broke her sister emotionally.

“She decided to marry him because she thought he was a good man,” he told the media.

The police have registered a case of abetment of suicide and have filed charges under the Dowry Prohibition Act and described him as a “proponent of dowry” in its remand report submitted in the court today. The accused has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
Ruwais was a popular student leader on the college campus and was on the state committee of the Kerala Medical Post Graduates Association.

State health minister Veena George ordered an investigation into the matter.

Actor Dharmendra is celebrating his 88th birthday today. He stepped out with his son Sunny Deol to celebrate with fans and the media. He cut a large cake and was showered with flowers by his fans.

In the pictures, the actor was seen in a terracotta-coloured shirt paired with black pants and a matching hat. Sunny Deol, who stood next to him, wore a blue shirt with beige pants.

During the birthday celebration, fans of Dharmendra showered the veteran actor with flower petals while singing the birthday song. Sunny Deol fed his father a small piece of the multi-tiered cake brought by fans. Dharmendra greeted the media and his fans with folded hands.

Check out the pictures here: