New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS): Businessman Darshan Hiranandani, son of billionaire businessman Niranjan Hiranandani and CEO of Hiranandani Group, which has interests in real estate, energy and data centres, told a television channel in an interview that he accessed the Lok Sabha MP’s account. of Trinamool Congress, Mohua Moitra, from Dubai. to post questions addressed to the Adani Group.
Calling it an “error of judgment”, he expressed regret over the matter and said he had filed an affidavit, which he obtained notarized at the Indian consulate in Dubai, to present the facts from the beginning and state them as they are. before the public.
Hiranandani reiterated during the interview that “Ms Moitra felt that attacking Mr Adani would target the Prime Minister because of perceived proximity as both are from the same state.”
When asked if Moitra had frequent interactions with international journalists from The Financial Times, The New York Times, the BBC and various Indian publications, Hiranandani said the MP had personally given her all the details.
When asked about the issue of gifts and money that were mentioned in Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai’s complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Moitra, Hiranandani said what actually happened was mentioned in his affidavit.
Her affidavit reads: “…she also made frequent demands on me and kept asking me for various favors, which I had to fulfill in order to remain in close proximity to her and gain her support. The demands made and favors asked included gifting him expensive luxury items, providing support for the renovation of his officially allotted bungalow in Delhi, travel expenses, vacations, etc., as well as providing secretarial and logistical help for his travels. within India and different parts of the world.”
When asked about cash payments to Moitra as mentioned in Dehadrai’s complaint (who once paid her Rs 75 lakh and then again Rs 2 crore through hawala channels), Hiranandani did not deny the same and said : “Whatever the extent of my involvement, the matter is already there in the affidavit. “As I said, I am there to cooperate fully with the agencies and with the Ethics Committee and I will do so fully and frankly.”
Hiranandani also said that “when asked by the Parliamentary Ethics Committee or any kind of authority, I will gladly cooperate and provide any and all (details) that are necessary.”
