The 16-member Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has recommended expulsion of Trinamul Congress MP Mahua Moitra from the 17th Lok Sabha on grounds of “unethical conduct” and “contempt of the house” for sharing her parliamentary credentials (User ID and Password of the Lok Sabha Members Portal) to an “unauthorised person” which it considered having an “impact on national security”.

The Vinod Kumar Sonkar-chaired ethics panel considered these “serious misdemeanors” on part of Moitra which called for “severe punishment' ', the panel report _ tabled in the Lok Sabha earlier on Friday _ stated in its justification for recommendation of expulsion.

The committee also recommended an “intense, legal, institutional inquiry” on Moitra by the Centre in a “time-bound manner” for her acts which the committee deemed “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal”. “The money trail of cash transactions between Smt Mahua Moitra and Sri Darshan Hiranandani as a part of ‘quid pro quo’ should be investigated by the Government of India in a legal, institutional and time-bound manner”, the report read.

The panel also recommended ‘admonishment’ of BSP MP and committee member Danish Ali for “twisting/moulding the intent of question put forth by the chairperson, Committee on Ethics, to Smt Mahua Moitra during her deposition on 2 November, 2023 with the objective of fomenting the sentiments of public at large, as well as disparaging the self esteem of the chairperson and other members…”.