Cash-For-Query Row: Delhi High Court Orders 'Strict Confidentiality' After Mahua Moitra Flags Media Leak Of CBI Report To Lokpal

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra moved the Delhi High Court on Monday against the alleged media leak of the news of CBI submitting its report to Lokpal of India in relation to the alleged cash-for-query scam.

Justice Sachin Datta heard the matter today and said that directed that confidentiality shall be “strictly maintained by all the concerned.”

“I'll make it clear saying that the confidentiality be maintained. I'll dispose of the petition….,” the Court said.

Justice Datta further remarked: “There's no doubt that confidential has to be maintained. There is no dispute that everyone is bound to maintain confidentiality…”

Advocate Samudra Sarangi appeared for Moitra and submitted that while he was not asking for any take down order, the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, as well as the authority's circular should be complied with.

He submitted that soon after the report was filed by the CBI before Lokpal, the said fact (that the report was filed) was made public to the media.

Disposing of the plea, the Court said that it is the common case of respective counsel for the parties that confidentiality has to be maintained and any infraction of the confidentiality and non-disclosure obligations will entail appropriate action in terms of the statutory rules or circular.

“In the circumstances, it is obligatory on the part of concerned respondents to maintain confidentiality, in terms of the statutory provisions read with the prescription in the aforesaid circular dated 05.06.2025. It is directed accordingly,” the Court said .

Moitra was expelled as a Lok Sabha MP on December 08, 2023, following the Ethics panel's determination of her guilt in the matter.

She had been accused of receiving cash in exchange for posing questions on behalf of businessman and friend Darshan Hiranandani.

In an interview with The Indian Express, she had accepted the fact that she had provided her Parliament login and password details to Hiranandani, however, she had refuted the claim of receiving any cash from him.

The dispute arose after Dubey wrote a complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker alleging that Moitra purportedly took bribes to ask questions in the Parliament. Dubey claimed that the genesis of the said allegations was a letter addressed to him by Dehadrai.

Moitra then sent a legal notice to Dubey, Dehadrai and media houses wherein she denied the allegations made against her.

The legal notice said that Dubey, for obtaining immediate political mileage, “regurgitated the false and defamatory allegations” in the letter written to the Speaker of the Lok Saba.

The legal notice also added that Moitra has never accepted any remuneration or cash or gift or benefit of any kind in relation to the discharge of her duties as a MP, including but not limited to, the questions raised by her in the Parliament.

Tile: MAHUA MOITRA v. NISHIKANT DUBEY & ORS 

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Del) 946