"Conduct free and fair enquiry": Priyanka Chaturvedi urges LS Ethics panel in 'Cash for query' row

New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday urged the Lok Sabha Ethics panel to conduct a free and fair enquiry in the 'Cash-for-Query' scandal.

Pointing out that the TMC MP Mahua Moitra should have been given a chance to testify before calling Nishikant Dubey in the matter, Rajya Sabha MP Chaturvedi said that for the first time I am seeing that the Chairperson of the Ethics Committee himself is coming and speaking to TV channels and telling them about the procedure.

"The kind of media trial that is taking place - for the first time I am seeing that the Chairperson of the Ethics Committee himself is coming and speaking to TV channels and telling them about the procedure. The people who are making the accusations are being given the chance (to appear before the Committee) first and then the accused Mahua Moitra is being given the chance later," Priyanka Chaturvedi told ANI.

"In any court of law, there is a cross-examination of those who are accused and those who turn approver. So if you are considering the statement of those who made accusations as final and then asking the accused to explain it. This is not an even platform. This aspect should be looked into. I hope the enquiry is done in a free and fair manner," she added.

A day after the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha called Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra to appear before it on October 31, the TMC MP has sought more time. The committee has summoned Mahua Moitra over allegations against her in the 'Cash-for-Query' scandal.

Mahua Moitra alleged that Vinod Sonkar, Chairman of the Parliament Ethics Committee announced her summon date on live TV way before the official letter was emailed to her adding that due to pre-scheduled constituency programmes, she wants more time to appear before the committee.

"Chairman, Ethics Committee announced my 31/10 summons on live TV way before an official letter emailed to me at 19:20 hrs. All complaints and suo moto affidavits were also released to the media. I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre-scheduled constituency programmes end on November 4," the TMC MP posted on X.

The TMC MP also wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Ethics Committee and requested more time to appear before the committee.

Meanwhile, on Thursday BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, who initially levelled the cash-for-query allegation against the TMC MP, appeared before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee to submit oral evidence on their allegations.

"I told the truth before the committee. All members of the committee went about the process of asking questions in a cordial manner. I gave honest answers to all the questions that were put to me," Advocate Dehadrai said.
The committee is headed by Sonkar, a BJP MP, and also includes Vishnu Datt Sharma, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Aparajita Sarangi, Rajdeep Roy, Sunita Duggal, and Subhash Bhamre of the BJP; Ve Vaithilingam, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Preneet Kaur of the Congress; Balashowry Vallabbhaneni (YSRCP); Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena); Giridhari Yadav (JD-U); P R Natarajan (CPI-M); and Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP).

The BJP MP earlier wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker, alleging the involvement of Mahua Moitra in the 'cash for query' scandal. He claimed that he held evidence as shared by Advocate Dehadrai, which allegedly corroborates the charges against the TMC MP.

In response to Dubey's letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Trinamool MP had said she would welcome a probe by the Speaker after he had dealt with alleged breaches of privilege by other BJP MPs. (ANI)