New Delhi: Businessman Darshan Hiranandani, the son of billionaire businessman Niranjan Hiranandani and CEO of the Hiranandani Group that has interests in realty, energy and data centres, has told a TV channel in an interview that he accessed Trinamool Congress’ Lok Sabha MP Mohua Moitra’s account from Dubai to post questions targeting the Adani Group.
Terming it an “error of judgment”, he expressed regret in the matter, and said he had put out an affidavit, which he got notarised at the Indian consulate in Dubai, to come forward with the facts upfront and bring the facts as they are before the public.
Hiranandani reiterated during the interview that “Ms Moitra felt attacking Mr Adani would target the Prime Minister because there was perceived proximity as both are from the same state”.
Asked if Moitra had frequent interactions with international journalists from The Financial Times, The New York times, the BBC, and several Indian publications, Hiranandani said the MP had personally given him all the details.
Asked about the issue of gifts and money that were mentioned in Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai’s complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Moitra, Hiranandani said what actually happened has been mentioned in his affidavit.
His affidavit says, “…she also made frequent demands of me and kept asking me for various favours, which I had to fulfil in order to remain in close proximity with her and get her support. The demands that were made and favours that were asked included gifting her expensive luxury items, providing support on renovation of her officially allotted bungalow in Delhi, travel expenses, holidays, etc., apart from providing secretarial and logistical help for her travels within India and to different parts of the world.”
Questioned about the cash payments to Moitra as mentioned in Dehadrai’s complaint — that he once paid her Rs 75 lakh and then again Rs 2 crore through hawala channels — Hiranandani didn’t deny the same, saying, “Whatever extent of my involvement is there in the matter is already there in the affidavit. Like I said, I am there to cooperate fully with the agencies and with the Ethics Committee and I will do it fully and frankly.”
Hiranandani also said that “when called upon by either the Parliamentary Ethics Committee or any sort of authority, I will gladly cooperate and provide each and every (detail) that is required”.
