This comes a day after the central agency searched her premises in multiple locations in connection with the cash-for-query case. Moitra was the Krishnanagar MP till she was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December last year for alleged “unethical conduct” following a parliamentary committee inquiry into allegations of her having received money for asking questions in the House.
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Moitra, who has again been fielded by the TMC from the Krishnanagar seat, also demanded that guidelines be urgently issued to central agencies on conducting investigations when the Model Code of Conduct is in place.
Referring to the raids as “illegal and disproportionate acts undertaken by the CBI to harass and throttle my campaign efforts”, the former MP wrote, “Despite knowing about my candidacy, the Central Bureau of Investigation has deliberately chosen to conduct four consecutive raids on four of my separate properties. This was done with the sole intention of hindering my campaign process and creating a negative perception about me in the run-up to the poll day. It is pertinent to mention that the so-called search and seizure operations conducted by the CBI resulted in absolutely zero fruition as the CBI admittedly went back empty-handed.”
The CBI raids were based on an FIR registered against her on March 21 on the directives of the Lokpal, which instructed the agency to file a report within six months.
Moitra continued, “At this juncture, I would like to highlight that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has previously taken proactive steps to ensure a level-playing field for all political parties… However, such endeavors of creating a level-playing field should not only be seen to be done but should also be implemented in letter and spirit. For this purpose, a central investigating agency which is under the control of the ruling dispensation at the Centre, must be appropriately saddled to ensure that in the name of investigation, they are not carrying out political biddings which favour the party in power at the Centre.”
“The timing and methodology employed by the CBI creates at the very minimum, a sufficient amount of suspicion that they are dancing to the tunes of political dicta. However, in a healthy democracy, there is no room for such suspicion and each and every candidate ought to have an equal and fair opportunity to win the election. Therefore, there is an urgent need to issue appropriate guidelines and/or create a framework to ensure that the festival of democracy is not a mere farce, but a genuine process to voice the wishes of the electorate,” she wrote.
“In such circumstances, you are called upon to forthwith: i. Issue appropriate guidelines and/or create a framework vis-à-vis the conduct of investigation by central investigating agencies, including the CBI during the period of the Model Code of Conduct; ii. Issue appropriate order(s)/direction(s) upon central investigating agencies, including the Cbl, to take no coercive steps against candidates/political functionaries/politically exposed persons during the period of the Model Code of Conduct; iii Issue any other order(s)/direction(s) as may be deemed fit and necessary,” she added.
No law bars probe during polls: BJP
The BJP, meanwhile, criticised the TMC leader for questioning the CBI searches and maintained that the investigation had no link with her election campaigning.
“There is no law which prevents an investigative agency from conducting its investigation when the MCC is in force. We all know that there is a serious allegation, against Mahua Moitra, of compromising the internal security of the country. She has also kind of admitted to the allegation that was raised against her when she was asked to speak over the matter. Therefore, raising questions on the CBI investigation and branding this as a political vendetta are uncalled for. If she thinks that she is being prevented from engaging in electoral campaigning then she has the full right to reach out to the ECI and even knock on the court doors,” said BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya.
The TMC, on the other hand, stood by Moitra and accused the BJP of using central agencies against its candidate. “As she raised questions against the Prime Minister and the BJP government at the Centre in Parliament, attempts have been made to target her. The CBI is being used against her but not against BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari. Even if Mahua Moitra is arrested and put behind bars, she will contest the election from jail and emerge a winner,” said TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh.
West Bengal will vote in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.