Cash-for-query case: Mahua Moitra says will appear before Ethics Committee on Nov 2
Moitra has been at the centre of a political storm after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging she took bribes from Hiranandani to target the Adani Group.
The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee had earlier asked her to appear on October 31. She had requested a hearing date after November 5 to accommodate her existing commitments but was denied an extension beyond November 2.
In a letter to the chairperson of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on Tuesday, Moitra said she will appear before the panel on November 2, but questioned whether it is the appropriate forum to examine allegations of alleged criminality.
She said parliamentary committees lack criminal jurisdiction and emphasised the importance of involving law enforcement agencies in such cases. "While registering my protest, I wish to inform you that I will respect the summons and appear before the Committee on November 2, 2023 at 11 am," she said.
Moitra also expressed her desire to cross-examine alleged "bribe-giver," Darshan Hiranandani, who submitted an affidavit to the committee "without offering substantial evidence".
The Lok Sabha MP also sought to cross-examine the complainant, Jai Anant Dehadral, who she claimed provided no documentary evidence to support the charges.
"In light of the seriousness of the allegations, it is imperative that the alleged 'bribe-giver' Darshan Hiranandani, who has given a 'suo-moto' affidavit to the Committee with scant details and no documentary evidence whatsoever, be called to depose before the Committee and provide the said evidence in the form of a documented itemised inventory with amounts, date etc," she said.
"I wish to place on record that in keeping with the principles of natural justice I wish to exercise my right to cross-examine Hiranandani," she said.
Moitra highlighted that an inquiry without allowing her the opportunity to cross-examine would be "incomplete and unfair".
Highlighting the absence of a structured Code of Conduct for members, she emphasised the need for objectivity and fairness in addressing individual cases and avoiding political partisanship in the committee.
She also expressed disappointment on the scheduling of the hearing which she said coincides with her pre-scheduled Vijaya Dashami events.
Moitra also raised concerns about what she claimed were "double standards" of the Ethics Committee in issuing a summons.
She said the panel has adopted a very different approach in the case of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri who has a "very serious complaint of hate speech" pending against him with the Privileges and Ethics branch.
Bidhuri was summoned on October 10 to provide oral evidence but he expressed his inability to depose as he was away campaigning in Rajasthan, she said.
"No further date of his hearing has been given so far. I wish to place on record that these double-standards reek of political motives and do little to enhance the credibility of the Privileges & Ethics Branch," she said.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
