Bribe for Questions: TMC MP moves Delhi HC to restrain circulating "fake, defamatory" contents

Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Mahua Moitra has approached the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking to restrain Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey, advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, and several social media platforms and media houses from posting, circulating or publishing any "fake and defamatory" content against her.

Justice Sachin Datta issued notices to the defendants in the case and posted Moitra's suit for further hearing on Friday.

"In view of the urgency, list on October 20, 2023," the HC order said.

Moitra is at the centre of a political storm after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that she had allegedly taken bribes from a business house to ask over 50 questions in Parliament.

Most of the questions were allegedly targetted against Adani group of companies allegedly at the instance of the said buisness house.

In his complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker on October 15, Dubey, cited a letter from Dehadrai,  Moitra's estranged partner, to accuse Moi- tra of "breach of privilege, contempt of the house, and criminal offence". Moitra has denied the allegations.

Senior advocate Rebecca John, who represented Moitra before the HC, said "Essentially we were seeking a restrain again the dissemination of personal information of Moitra in the form of photograph, which really is related to her personal event and has nothing to do with her public life."

She said "viscous targeting" was taking place against Moitra on account of Dubey's letter which was written to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

Dubey, who had written to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla accusing Moitra of taking bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in the form of cash and gifts to ask questions in Parliament, has also written to Union minister for information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to investigate the IP addresses of her log-in credentials for the House.

Dubey had claimed that lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai had "shared irrefutable evidence of bribes exchanged" between her and Darshan Hiranandani.