'Cash-for-query' case: Mahua Moitra submits her response to CBI questions

TMC leader and former Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra has sent her response to a questionnaire by the CBI on allegations of corruption in raising questions in the house, officials said Thursday.

The CBI is examining the response after which it will send a report to anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal which had referred the matter to the agency, they said.

The agency is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Moitra on the reference from the Lokpal.

The CBI is also understood to have spoken to lawyer Jai Dehadrai and businessman Darshan Hiranandani in connection with its inquiry, they said.

Queries sent by PTI to Moitra remained unanswered and the CBI has also maintained silence on the issue.

BJP Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.

He had also accused Moitra of compromising national security for monetary gains.

Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claimed she was being targeted as she had raised questions on the deals of the Adani group.

"Neither has Lok Pal uploaded any referral order on website as per Lokpal Act & nor has CBI put out anything official. "Sources" telling journos as per usual media circus. Hope ?13,000 crore Adani coal scam merits CBI PE before my witchhunt," Moitra had said on X in November.