Mahua Moitra & the Alleged Affidavit by Darshan Hiranandani on Questions in Parliament

Moneylife Digital Team 20 October 2023

Economy & Nation

Dubai-based Darshan Hiranandani, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Hiranandani group and son of Niranjan Hiranandani, has made several allegations in an alleged 'affidavit' against Mahua Moitra, a member of Parliament (MP) from All India Trinamool Congress. He claims that she asked questions on his behalf in Parliament and also gave him her login credentials to her email account as a parliamentarian.

In the letter, which is written on plain paper and not notarised, Mr Hiranandani has mentioned Sucheta Dalal, managing editor of Moneylife as having helped Ms Moitra along with lawyers Shardul and his wife Pallavi Shroff. Shardul Shroff is the brother of Cyril Shroff and after a bitter parting following the death of their father, Suresh Shroff, the firm was split into two, with the names of the respective brothers pre-fixing Amarchand Mangaldas Shroff. Cryril Shroff's daughter is married to Gautam Adani's son. Ms Dalal has no connection with any of the persons named, barring a few re-tweets of Ms Moitra's tweets and one response in connection with a wilful defaulter issue.

Ms Moitra has provided a very detailed response to the alleged affidavit. Meanwhile, Ms Dalal has made her statement via two tweets on the X platform, reproduced below.

This is completely stupefying -- I do not know @MahuaMoitra personally at all - I may have retweeted some of her stuff. I don't know Pallavi Shroff and I used to know #ShardulShroff long ago. I dare anyone to find any links between me and them. Requesting IT minister @Rajeev_GoI… https://t.co/uwJ5JymOc3
— Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) October 19, 2023

This tweet exchange is being bandied as proof I know @MahuaMoitra. Some facts. 1) I did not send any information 2) this is about #Essar among the largest wilful defaulters who had filed a criminal case against me when I wrote for @IndianExpress 3) common factor between #Essar… https://t.co/wP7WoUywtR
— Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) October 20, 2023

Darshan Hiranandani is the son of Niranjan Hiranandani, a real estate tycoon with an eponymous sprawl of constructions across India. Darshan was announced as Niranjan Hiranandani's successor in 2019 after settling a bitter legal dispute with his daughter Priya. The son also looks after the group's diversification into the energy business, which is at the centre of the present controversy.

Darshan Hiranandani had alleged that the Trinamool Congress MP provided him with her Parliament login and password to post the questions directly on her behalf when required. "Certain information was shared with me, based on which I continued to draft and post questions using her Parliamentary login whenever needed," he says.

In response, Ms Moitra shared a two-page statement on her X profile posing five questions. "Mr (Darshan) Hiranandani has not been summoned by the central bureau of investigation (CBI) or the ethics committee (of Parliament) or indeed by any investigative agency yet. Who, then, has he given this affidavit to? The affidavit is on a white paper and not on official letterhead or notarised. Why would one of India's most respected or educated businessmen sign a letter like this on white paper unless a gun was put to his head to do it?"

Her letter in response is given below.

Jai Ma Durga. pic.twitter.com/Z2JsqOARCR
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 19, 2023

Comments

User

Devara

1 year ago

How can someone in authority so brazenly tarnish a woman MP who by all means is a role model for future parliamentarians.

Folks like Sucheta and Mahua will keep fighting for what is right and decent but people in power lack any moral fibre in their body.

India's future will be dark, ugly and yes more taxes.

amodi

1 year ago

I just wonder where is the bribe given and taken and whether if any one charges any one for mutual benefit is a bribe ?