The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday launched raids at various locations including Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra’s residence in Kolkata in connection with the “cash-for-query” probe, people familiar with the developments said.

The agency had filed a first information report (FIR) on Thursday based on a report by Lokpal.

As reported by HT on Thursday, the former Lok Sabha member had “unauthorisedly” shared her login credentials with Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani and “demanded and accepted undue advantage” in the form of payments towards air tickets, gift items and help for renovation of her official bungalow in the Lutyens’ Zone in Delhi.

The revelations were made by CBI in its preliminary enquiry (PE) report to the Lokpal, based on which the latter ordered to further investigate the allegations against the TMC leader on Tuesday.

Referring to the CBI findings, Lokpal’s judgement on Tuesday said, “It is stated in the PE report that it is prima facie revealed that Moitra had unauthorisedly shared her login credentials of ‘Members’ Portal’ of Lok Sabha with Darshan Hiranandani, who either provided information or posted questions directly on the Lok Sabha portal on behalf of Moitra.”

“Several questions were related either directly or indirectly to the companies of Hiranandani, or to sectors wherein he has business interests,” it added.

About alleged benefits to Moitra, the judgement, citing CBI report, said, “It has come in evidence that Moitra has demanded and accepted undue advantage in the form of payment towards air tickets, certain gift items and help for the renovation of her officially allocated bungalow in New Delhi”.

The anti-corruption watchdog on Tuesday asked the CBI for all aspects of allegations against Moitra in next six months as there is “sufficient prima facie evidence on record that deserves deeper scrutiny.”

The CBI enquiry revealed that Hiranandani gave a sworn affidavit confirming he had Moitra’s login credentials allowing him to post questions and that he typed all the 58 online questions she had asked. He further confirmed that login from Dubai, Bengaluru and the US had been done by using his VPN.

Moitra, in her defence before Lokpal, argued that there were no rules at that time which prohibited her from taking assistance of Hiranandani in typing and posting the questions prepared and drafted by her.

On the allegations that Moitra took ₹2 crore from Hiranandani, CBI has stated in its PE report to Lokpal that sufficient evidence could not be collected due to the limited scope of the inquiry and that an investigation is required to unearth the truth of this allegation of a serious nature. The Lokpal noted, “Thus, it is clear that the PE report does not grant a clean chit to Moitra. It merely points out the limited scope of the inquiry”.

Two more allegations examined by CBI pertain to Hiranandani giving Moitra gifts, funding her air tickets, and helping her renovate her official bungalow, at 9-B, Telegraph Lane, New Delhi. The CBI has claimed that Hiranandani paid ₹1.69 lakh for her trip from Delhi to the UAE from his credit card. It further found that Hiranandani helped renovate her official bungalow. He also gifted her a Hermes scarf in 2018 and Bobbi Brown make-up kits, it has stated.

Moitra’s legal team argued before the Lokpal these “are part of the normal exchange between friends”. Terming it a “rather simplistic argument”, Lokpal said “whether, in this case, the aspects of undue advantage, quid pro quo and bribery exist, and if so, to what extent, remains inconclusive at this stage”. “The seriousness of such allegations, including the position and status of Moitra when the alleged offence was committed, would definitely demand deeper scrutiny, to arrive at the truth”.