The CBI has asked lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai to appear before it on Thursday in connection with its probe against former TMC MP Mahua Moitra in a Lokpal-referred corruption complaint against her, officials said Tuesday.

Dehadrai, who was once close to Moitra, had levelled serious corruption allegations against the former MP which were strongly refuted by her, they said.

The agency has asked Dehadrai to appear before the AC-3 unit of the agency at 2 PM on Thursday to record his version, they said.

The CBI has started a probe into the allegations of corruption against Moitra on a reference from the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had approached the Lokpal with a complaint against Moitra over allegations that she had taken bribes to raise questions in Parliament.

Last month, Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha after the House adopted the report of its Ethics Committee that held her guilty of accepting gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman to further his interest.

Moitra has challenged her expulsion in the Supreme Court.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.