A day before Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Mahua Moitra appears before the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha in an alleged cash-for-query case, she has written to the panel pointing out that such committees don’t have criminal jurisdiction.
Arguing that the nation’s founders did not empower the parliamentary committees to decide alleged criminality since they can be “misused” by governments enjoying a brute majority in Parliament, Ms. Moitra said, “I wish to respectfully remind you that parliamentary committees do not have criminal jurisdiction and have no mandate to investigate alleged criminality. This can only be done by law enforcement agencies.”
She also reiterated her demand to cross-examine businessman Darshan Hiranandani in connection with the allegation made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey that she received gifts and bribes from him in exchange for asking questions.
