Cash for query case: Mahua Moitra moves High Court against Lokpal's sanction order

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has approached the Delhi High Court challenging a recent Lokpal order that gave the CBI permission to file a chargesheet against her in the alleged “cash-for-query” case.

On November 12, the Lokpal’s full bench approved sanction under relevant sections of the Lokpal Act for the CBI to prosecute Moitra and others. The ombudsman asked the CBI to file the chargesheet in court within four weeks, and also to submit a copy to the Lokpal.

Moitra, in her fresh petition, alleges that the Lokpal passed its sanction order without seriously considering her arguments, submissions, and filings. She contends that the full bench dismissed her defense as “premature,” promising to weigh them only at a later stage, but then effectively ignored them. According to her, this reduces the Lokpal’s role to a mere “rubber-stamp” of the CBI’s report, violating both the Lokpal Act and the principles of natural justice.

She further argues that her defense was specifically invited by Lokpal and yet, before sanctioning prosecution, the authority did not meaningfully engage with her rebuttals. The MP claims this procedural lapse undercuts any fair hearing and bypasses her right to present a full defense.

The underlying allegations stem from a complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, accusing Moitra of accepting cash and luxury gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for raising parliamentary questions targeting the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In March 2024, acting on Lokpal’s referral, the CBI registered a case against Moitra and Hiranandani under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and for criminal conspiracy.

Moitra has also raised separate concerns about confidentiality. She had previously filed a petition in the Delhi High Court accusing Dubey of leaking sensitive Lokpal documents to the media, but the court declined to restrain him, observing that it could not pre-judge whether a leak had occurred and suggested she take up the matter before Lokpal itself.

In an earlier hearing, the court directed that strict confidentiality be maintained with respect to CBI’s report submitted to Lokpal.

Through her new petition, Moitra is asking the High Court to set aside the sanction order, arguing that the Lokpal’s approach undermines the very safeguards meant to protect a respondent’s right to a fair defense.

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