In a major escalation of the cash-for-query scandal, the Lokpal of India has directed the CBI to file a chargesheet against TMC MP Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani. The watchdog called Moitra’s alleged sharing of confidential parliamentary login credentials a “breach of cyber-security protocols with national-security implications.”
The Lokpal’s order, issued on November 14, marks a decisive turn in one of Parliament’s most divisive integrity battles. Acting on a 2023 complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, the ombudsman instructed the CBI to file its chargesheet within four weeks and begin prosecution proceedings based on its findings.
News18 quoted the order, which lays out a clear path for prosecution, leaving “little room for ambiguity” on the gravity of the alleged misconduct.
At the heart of the case is an unprecedented allegation: Moitra allegedly shared her confidential Lok Sabha login ID, password and even OTP access with Hiranandani. This allowed the businessman to enter the Members’ Portal and upload parliamentary questions that investigators say were aligned with his corporate interests.
The Lokpal said this was not a routine lapse, but “a breach of cyber-security protocols, with national-security implications,” given that the Members’ Portal forms part of the Parliament’s protected digital ecosystem.
The Lokpal order relies heavily on the CBI’s investigation report, which lists benefits Moitra allegedly received from Hiranandani or his company executives. These include:
- A business-class flight ticket worth Rs 1.69 lakh
- Luxury gifts such as a Hermès scarf and Bobbi Brown makeup kits
- Architectural and interior design services worth Rs 12–15 lakh for refurbishing her official Telegraph Lane residence
All these services, investigators say, were provided free of cost.
According to digital logs cited in the order, multiple log-ins were made using Moitra’s official credentials from different IP addresses, confirming that Hiranandani’s office operated the portal while impersonating her.
Of the 61 questions Moitra submitted in the 17th Lok Sabha, 26 were directly or indirectly connected to Hiranandani’s business interests—an unusually high correlation that raised red flags for investigators.
The Lokpal also invoked the Supreme Court’s Neeraj Dutta judgment, stressing that even without explicit demands, acceptance of “undue benefits” constitutes an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The order states that quid pro quo can be inferred from conduct and benefits received, not necessarily spoken.
For Mahua Moitra, who has maintained the allegations are a politically engineered attack, the Lokpal’s directive marks the beginning of a more serious legal battle. The order opens the door to full prosecution, an unprecedented step against a sitting MP in a parliamentary cyber-misuse case.
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