SC asks Mahua Moitra to reply notice in cash-for-query case, no relief
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New Delhi: Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra on Wednesday faced a setback after the Supreme Court said it would first determine the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Mahua Moitra has long been at the centre of a roiling controversy over cash-for-query allegations linked to businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
The Supreme Court however did not dismiss Moitra's challenge against her expulsion from parliament.
Appearing for the Lok Sabha secretariat, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court not to interfere in decisions taken inside parliament.
Issuing a notice to Lok Sabha Secretariat, the apex court said: ‘If we have the power of judicial review, we will investigate.’
The court has given Lok Sabha Secretariat three weeks to respond and Moitra afterwards will get three weeks to reply.
The hearing will begin from March 11 in the Supreme Court again.
Expelled from the House, Moitra can't participate in the proceedings.
The court now said it would not comment on the merit of the issues she raised challenging the expulsion.
The Supreme Court asked during today’s hearing ‘Do you admit that you shared OTP with Hiranandani?’
Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court that all MPS do so with their secretaries.
The 49-year-old leader was accused of taking bribes and ‘luxury gift items’ from Mr Hiranandani in exchange for asking questions in parliament.
