Cash-for-query row: Lok Sabha Ethics Committee summons TMC's Mahua Moitra on October 31

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has summoned Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on October 31 in connection with the allegations of 'cash for query' against after recording statements of complainants BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai.

The panel headed by BJP MP Vonod Kumar Sonkar will also seek the assistance of Ministries of Home and Information and Technology in its investigation into the allegations of Mahua illegally providing login credentials of her official email to a businessman to pose questions and accepting gifts and cash from him.

Sources said Dubey told the panel that it was an "open and shut" case and she should be disqualified while objecting to suggestions that she should be shown leniency as she is a first-term MP. Both Dubey and Dehadrai gave "oral evidence" to the panel.

Eleven, including Sonkar, of 15 members of the panel were present at the meeting. At the outset, the Opposition MPs sparred with ruling BJP MPs on who -- complainant or accused -- should they first hear. As differences persisted, a voting was done where it ended in a tie. Sonkar then cast his deciding vote in favour of hearing the complainants first.

Opposition MPs had referred to the case involving BSP MP Danish Ali and BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri where Privileges Committee called the latter who was accused of making communal remarks against the other.

Appearing before the panel, sources said Dubey sought Mahua's disqualification, claiming that the allegations pertain to Parliament's dignity and national security. He also referred to businessman Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit claiming that he has admitted to the charge.

Sources said Congress MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy referred to Mahua's allegation about Dubey's "fake degree", leading to some heated moments. Dubey countered it saying the Supreme Court and Election Commission have looked into the matter and cleared him.

When referred to Dehadrai's police complaint against Mahua charging her of stealing his dog, sources said the MP said it  has no bearing on the complaint filed by him. Some MPs objected to the reference of the dog.

Dubey had earlier alleged that Darshan had used Mahua's credentials to log in to Parliament's website. On her part, Mahua had asked the government to release log-in data of all MPs' to see whether they were present at the location whenever the access attempts were made.

In a signed affidavit, Darshan had claimed that Mahua targeted Gautam Adani to "malign and embarrass" Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Tuesday, Dubey shared a letter from Union Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw, which said the government will provide all help of the National Informatics Service to the Lok Sabha Secretariat in the Ethics Committee's probe.