Former Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra vacated her government bungalow on Friday morning. The Directorate of Estates (DoE) on Friday sent a team to evict her, however, her team said she vacated the bungalow before authorities arrived.
TMC leader Mahua Moitra's office said that the bungalow occupied by her, House number 9B Telegraph Lane in New Delhi, was fully vacated by 10 am on Friday before authorities arrived, adding that no eviction took place.
"House number 9B Telegraph Lane in New Delhi occupied by Mahua Moitra was fully vacated by 10 am today morning and the possession was handed over by her lawyers to the Directorate of Estates who are inspecting and engaged in due process. The premises were vacated before authorities arrived and no eviction took place at all," TMC leader Mahua Moitra's office said.
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On Thursday, the expelled Lok Sabha MP failed to get any relief from the Delhi High Court which refused to stay the eviction notice issued to her asking her to vacate the government bungalow.
Earlier this week, the DoE issued an eviction notice to Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha last month in connection with the alleged cash-for-query issue.
"A team has been sent to evict the TMC leader from the government bungalow allotted to her as an MP," news agency PTI quoted an official as saying.
Citing medical reasons, Mahua Moitra on Thursday urged the high court to restrain the authorities from evicting her from the government bungalow on cancellation of allotment following her expulsion.
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On Thursday, Justice Girish Kathpalia of Delhi High Court said no specific rule has been brought before the court which dealt with the eviction of MPs from government accommodation after they cease to be lawmakers.
Mahua Moitra was held guilty of "unethical conduct" and expelled from Lok Sabha for allegedly accepting gifts and other favours from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in return for asking questions targeting his business rival Gautam Adani.
The Delhi High Court had listed the petition of the Trinamool Congress leader in which she challenged the eviction notice issued by the Directorate of Estates for further hearing on January 24.
Mahua Gives 'Single Woman' Reason
The Trinamool Congress leader, who challenged the notice by the Directorate of Estates to vacate the government accommodation, had pleaded that she should not be evicted from the premises for the time being as she is a single woman and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Senior advocate Brij Gupta, representing Moitra, submitted she had undergone a surgical procedure and was admitted to a private hospital.
Doctors have advised her bed rest, the lawyer said, urging the court to give her some time to vacate the bungalow, preferably four months.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma and central government's standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, representing the DoE, opposed the plea saying there was no whisper of any medical or humanitarian condition in her representation to the authorities. They said 2,188 people are waiting for an identical accommodation.
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The court noted that Moitra was seeking an extension of time vacate given her medical condition and the difficulties she would face during campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
It, however, said one of the prayer clauses showed it was a matter of political expediency and not medical issues and that she wanted to retain the government accommodation till the results of the 2024 general elections are announced.
The court said Moitra was allotted government accommodation which was incidental to her status as an MP, and the status having ceased upon her expulsion that has not been stayed by the Supreme Court despite the hearing afforded to her, she currently has no right to continue in the bungalow.
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(with PTI inputs)
