Mahua Moitra is hospitalised and was in ICU, her lawyer informed the Delhi high court pleading with the court to not throw her out of her government-allotted residence in New Delhi which she has been asked to vacate since she was expelled from the Lok Sabha. The Delhi high court dismissed the Trinamool leader’s plea seeking a stay on the eviction order and said she had no right to continue in the government accommodation after she ceased to be an MP. Senior advocate Brij Gupta represented Mahua Moitra and said the expelled MP is admitted to a private hospital. Doctors have advised her bed rest and hence she will need some time to vacate the bungalow. Mahua Moitra is willing to pay for her stay, her counsel informed the court.

“Whatever you wish to charge, I am ready to pay. Don’t throw me out. I have a medical condition. I am being treated at Medanta Hospital here and was in ICU. I have no other house in Delhi. Treat it as my mercy petition. I am pleading for mercy,” the counsel submitted on her behalf.

Mahua Moitra’s lawyer told the court that she would need four months to vacate the bungalow. But even two months or 2.5 months would be fine.

“Today, she is on bed rest, she can’t even move in bed. It is in that situation that they want to evict her,” the lawyer said.

Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8 last year and was asked to vacate her government house by January 7. She was served the third notice on January 16 asking her to vacate the bungalow immediately.

What the court said in its order

“To conclude, in view of the pendency of the issue of expulsion of petitioner (Moitra) before the Supreme Court and the issue of extension of time to vacate the government accommodation being inextricably linked with that, coupled with the fact that as on date petitioner has no right, this court is not inclined to invoke jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India at this stage to restrain the operation of the impugned eviction order. Accordingly, the application stands dismissed,” the court said in its order.

The court noted that Mahua Moitra could be granted some time given the medical condition that her counsel cited to which the Additional Solicitor General said they can allow 3-4 days.