Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai,who had provided evidence to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleging TMC MP Mahua Moitra accepted cash to ask certain questions in Parliament, has claimed attempts were made to “coerce” him to withdraw his complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

In a post on X, he claimed a “totally innocent” messenger asked him to withdraw his letter to Dubey and the complaint, in lieu of his dog Henry. He said he “flatly” refused

“An attempt was made yesterday afternoon, to coerce me into withdrawing my CBI complaint and letter to Nishikant Dubey, in exchange for Henry (his dog).”

He said he will provide details to CBI about the encounter.

“Messenger is totally innocent – but tells you everything about her,” he said, in an apparent reference to the MP.

On Thursday, businessman Darshan Hiranandani, who allegedly paid money and gifts to Moitra to have her ask questions with vested interest in Parliament, claimed in a three-page affidavit that the TMC MP had shared her Parliament login credentials with him.

He claimed the TMC leader targeted Gautam Adani to malign and embarrass Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He claimed he gave Moitra information on the basis of which she could pose questions attacking the Adani Group.

Also read: Mahua Moitra’s ‘gun on head’ response to Hiranandani’s affidavit in ‘cash for query’ row

He also alleged he would gift her expensive luxury items and that she provided him with her Parliament login and password so that he could “post the questions directly on her behalf”.

Moitra questioned the credibility of the affidavit saying it was not published on an official letterhead or notarized document.

Also read: Who is this ‘jilted ex’ that Mahua Moitra of TMC refers to?

“The affidavit is on white paper, and not an official letterhead or notarized. Why would one of India’s most respected/educated businessmen sign a letter like this on white paper unless a gun was put on his head to do it?”

“The contents of the letter are a joke. It has clearly been drafted by some half-wit in the PMO who doubles up as a creative writer in the BJP’s IT cell. It sings paeans to Modi and Gautam Adani while linking every opponent of theirs to me and my alleged corruption,” she alleged.

She accused the PMO of holding “proverbial gun to Darshan and his father’s heads”. She alleged it gave them 20 minutes to sign this letter and threatened them with shutting down their businesses.

After Dubey raised the matter in Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had forwarded the complaint to the Ethics Committee, which has called him and Dehadrai on October 26 to submit oral evidence before the panel.

Jai Anant Dehadrai is said to be an estranged partner of Mahua Moitra.

He reportedly has a bitter feud running with the TMC MP over the custody of their pet dog, Henry.

Moitra had filed multiple police complaints against Dehadrai in the last six months for alleged criminal trespass, theft, vulgar messages and abuse, news agency PTI reported.