Cash, gold found at Arpita’s residence belonged to Partha: ED to court
The process of framing of charges about all named as accused - some individuals and some corporate entities and trusts - started at the special PMLA court on Thursday.
The statements of two leading Trinamool Congress leaders on Sunday indicated that the party’s Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra will have to fight her own battle in the evolving “cash-for-query” controversy.
On one hand the party leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien clearly said that the party will make its position clear in the matter only after the Ethics Committee of the Parliament comes out with its decision in the matter.
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He also said that the party leadership has advised the MP to clarify her position regarding the allegations raised against her.
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On the other hand, state Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Minister and the Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, on Sunday, has claimed Moitra is quite capable of bringing herself out of the matter.
“Maybe a conspiracy has been framed against her because she is vocal,” he said.
Since the “cash-for query” controversy erupted, Trinamool Congress had been maintaining a strategic distance from the matter.
Party spokesman Kunal Ghosh even went to the extent of announcing on Saturday, reportedly on instructions from the party leadership, that the party does not have any comment on the matter.
“The party will not give any reaction on this issue,” he said.
Political observers feel that from fresh statements by the party leaders on Sunday it is clear that handling the “cash-fore-query” issue is more of Moitra’s personal battle rather than a united party affair and that she will have to fight her own battle on this count.
Moitra apparently is still putting up a brave face in the matter. On Saturday she issued a X message inviting CBI to come to her home and count her pair of shoes. Earlier she had also questioned the Chairman of the Ethics Committee of Parliament over his media interaction. She also questioned how the affidavit by Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani reached different media houses.
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