Cash For Query: Big relief from the High Court in the case in which Mahua Moitra had lost her MP status.

Mahua Moitra News: Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra has got a big legal relief in the cash for query case. Delhi High Court on Friday canceled the Lokpal order in which CBI was allowed to file charge sheet against Moitra. Citing procedural flaw, the court asked the Lokpal to reconsider the issue of approval within a month. While giving the verdict on Moitra’s petition, the bench of Justice Anil Kshetrapal and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar said that the Lokpal merely approved the investigation agency’s report like rubber stamping it. The bench did not consider Moitra’s arguments or evidence.

Referring to Section 20(7) of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, the court said that only after receiving the comments of the public servant and considering each report, permission can be given to file charge sheet, close the case or take departmental action. Moitra had argued in the petition that the Lokpal completely ignored her submissions and issued the sanction order, which is a violation of the principles of natural justice. He said that approval for filing charge sheet is actually tantamount to approval for prosecution. This cannot be allowed considering their right to defence.

What was the whole matter?

This case started in October 2023 with the complaint of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, in which Moitra was accused of taking cash and expensive gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani and asking questions related to Adani Group in Parliament. Moitra had admitted to giving her login password to Hiranandani, but denied taking bribe. Lokpal got a preliminary inquiry done by CBI on the complaint, then ordered a formal inquiry in March 2024. In June 2025, CBI submitted the report to Lokpal, after which comments were sought from Moitra.

After the hearing in October, the full bench of the Lokpal on 12 November 2025 ordered to file the charge sheet under Sections 20(7)(A) and 23(1) within four weeks. Moitra challenged this and the High Court reserved the decision on 21 November. The court clarified that the role of the Lokpal is not just to approve the investigation report, but to evaluate it independently. With this decision, the CBI’s charge sheet process has been put on hold and the Lokpal will now have to think afresh as per the law. Moitra was earlier expelled from the Lok Sabha in December 2023, when the Ethics Committee found her guilty of unethical conduct. However, he termed all the allegations as a political conspiracy.