The Lokpal on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations made against former Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra in a cash-for-query case and submit its findings within six months.

Moitra, a Trinamool Congress leader 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 Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani and accepting gifts in exchange for asking the questions in Parliament.

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

On Tuesday, the anti-corruption body’s full bench comprising Justice Abhilasha Kumari and members Archana Ramasundaram and Mahender Singh passed the order after considering a complaint filed in November by Dehadrai.

The Lokpal had earlier directed a preliminary inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation and had sought a report within six weeks. On December 22, the agency had requested for a three-month extension, which was allowed only till February 15.

“After careful evaluation and consideration of the entire material on record, there remains no doubt regarding the fact that the allegations levelled against the RPS [Respondent Public Servant], most of which are supported by cogent evidence, are extremely serious in nature, especially in view of the position held by her,” the Lokpal order said on Tuesday.

The Lokpal said that a “deeper probe” is required to establish the truth and hence it is directing the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate all aspects of the allegations.

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

On November 9, the report adopted by the Lok Sabha ethics panel recommending Moitra’s expulsion from Parliament had called her actions “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal”.

The panel, in its 104-page report, had found Moitra guilty of “unethical conduct” and contempt of the Lok Sabha for sharing her login user ID and password of the Parliament website with “unauthorised persons”, thereby disturbing national security.

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.

Also read: What does the summary expulsion of an Opposition MP say about Parliamentary democracy in India?