New Delhi The ongoing public tussle involving Trinamool Congress member of Parliament (MP) Mahua Moitra, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nishikant Dubey, and Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai “will not have any impact” on the proceedings of the parliamentary ethics committee, panel chairman Vinod Kumar Sonkar said on Friday.

The committee is looking into allegations made in a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla by Dubey, based on a complaint by Dehadrai that Moitra sought money and favours in return for asking certain parliamentary questions.

“Whatever is happening outside is not pertinent to the case that is before the panel. On October 26, we will look at the documents and the proof of the allegation the two deponents bring on table,” said Sonkar. On Thursday, both Dubey and Dehadrai will depose before the panel.

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Sonkar added that after the panel gets the documents from Dubey and Dehadrai, the panel will examine it and decide what to do next. “If those documents require further examination, we might refer it to respective agencies.”

When asked about the deposition of Moitra, Sonkar said, “We have to hear all those who are involved in this issue. The next schedule will be drawn up on Thursday.”

Moitra, however, objected to Sonkar’s remarks to the media and tweeted, “Chairman ethics committee openly speaks to media. Please see Lok Sabha rules below.”

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Lok Sabha officials pointed out that all panel chairpersons are authorised to speak to media.

Moitra also questioned, “How does ‘affidavit‘ find its way to media? Chairman should first do enquiry into how this was leaked. I repeat – BJP 1 point agenda is to expel me from LS to shut me up on Adani.”

She was referring to an affidavit by Darshan Hiranandani, the businessman named in Dubey’s complaint , who backed the charges in Dubey’s letter. The affidavit was submitted to the panel on Friday.

“I welcome answering questions to CBI and ethics committee (which has absolute majority of BJP members) if & when they call me. I have neither time nor interest to feed a Adani-directed media circus trial or answer BJP trolls. I am enjoying Durga Puja in Nadia,” she posted on X.

Dubey hit back, referring to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Pankaj Mishra, who is jail for the last two years on money laundering charges.

“The Jharkhand leader used to welcome ED, CBI every day through newspaper, social media. And then one day, the agency came. He has been in jail for the last two years. The same obsession of welcoming CBI has been passed on to a person who extorts money and accumulates LV and Gucci products. It seems a second Pankaj is ready,” Dubey said.

Moitra has already refuted the allegations in Hiranandani’s affidavit.

“Darshan Hiranandani has not been summoned by the CBI or the ethics committee or indeed by any investigative agency yet. Who then has he given this affidavit to? The affidavit is on white paper and not on official letterhead or notarised. Why would one of India’s most respected/ educated businessman sign a letter like this on white paper unless a gun was put to his head to do it?” asked Moitra in a statement on Thursday night.

She dubbed the content of Hiranandani affidavit as “a joke”.

“Paragraph 12 claims Darshan gave in to my demands because he was fearful of displeasing me. Darshan and his father run one of India’s largest business groups ,..Why would such a wealthy successful businessman who enjoys direct access to every minister and the PMO be coerced by a first-time Opposition MP into giving her gifts and giving into her demands? It is totally illogical…” she said.