The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday searched multiple locations linked to former Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in connection with the alleged cash-for-query case, PTI reported.

The central agency began searches at Moitra’s residence in Kolkata and premises linked to her in other cities in the morning, the news agency quoted unidentified officials as saying.

On Friday, it had registered a first information report against the Trinamool Congress leader in the case. The central agency had filed the case two days after the Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman, directed it to investigate allegations against her.

Advertisement

According to the Lokpal order, Moitra had shared credentials of her Lok Sabha member portal with Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani to allow him to share questions. In total, Hiranandani posted 58 questions that were asked by Moitra in Parliament, the Lokpal order had said on Tuesday citing the central agency’s preliminary inquiry findings.

Moitra, who represented West Bengal’s Krishnanagar constituency, was expelled from Parliament on December 8 based on a motion moved by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi.

The motion was based on a recommendation by the Lok Sabha’s Ethics Committee that had found Moitra guilty of having shared her login credentials to the Parliamentary website with Hiranandani and accepting gifts in exchange for asking the questions in Parliament.

Advertisement

The allegations against the politician were made in October by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, her estranged partner.

However, Moitra, alleged that the ethics panel found her guilty of breaching a code that did not exist. The Trinamool Congress leader said that the committee punished her for a practice that is routine, accepted and encouraged in the House.