Cash-for-query: Delhi HC quashes Lokpal order against Mahua Moitra

The Delhi High Court on Friday (December 19, 2025) quashed a Lokpal order granting sanction to the CBI to file a charge-sheet against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in the alleged cash-for-query row.

A bench of Justice Anil Kshetarpal and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar said, “The (Lokpal) order is set aside. We have requested the Lokpal to accord consideration for grant of sanction under Section 20 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in accordance with the relevant provisions within one month”.

The cash-for-query scam relates to the allegation that Ms. Moitra had asked questions in the House in exchange for cash and gifts from a businessman.

Ms. Moitra, in her plea, has sought the setting aside of the November 12 order of the Lokpal by which sanction was granted to the CBI, claiming that it was erroneous, against the provisions of the Lokpal Act, and a gross violation of principles of natural justice.

The plea alleged that arguments and submissions were invited from her and then completely ignored before issuing the sanction order under the Lokpal Act, on the ground that they were premature and would be considered at a subsequent stage.

It said the sanction order reduced the role of the Lokpal to merely “rubber-stamping of the investigation report”, without considering any defence whatsoever being offered by Moitra and granting sanction to file a charge sheet.

The CBI had contended that Ms. Moitra has no right to produce documents in the Lokpal’s proceedings and she is only entitled to give comments and not even an oral hearing.