Former Lok Sabha MP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra vacated the official residence allotted to her as an MP on Friday morning after the Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed her plea for a stay on eviction proceedings.
The TMC leader had received an eviction notice earlier this week ordering her to vacate the bungalow, located at 9B, Telegraph Lane, immediately.
Clearing the air on whether Moitra vacated the bungalow voluntarily or was evicted by a team of the Directorate of Estates, her counsel told PTI, “Possession handed over by her lawyers to Directorate of Estates who are inspecting and engaged in due process. Premises were vacated before authorities arrived.”
In a strongly-worded eviction notice, the Centre asked Moitra to immediately vacate the bungalow. The notice by the Directorate of Estates, which manages government properties, stated that if Mahua Moitra does not vacate the premises on her own, she and any other occupant “are liable to be evicted from the said premises, if need be, by the use of such force as may be necessary”.
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The Trinamool Congress leader then approached the Delhi High Court challenging the DoE’s order. However, the court on January 4 asked Mahua Moitra to approach the DoE for permission to continue her stay at the government-allotted accommodation.
On January 11, a second notice was sent to Mahua Moitra by the DoE after she missed the deadline to reply to their first notice on the matter.
Following this, Moitra then sent a reply to the DoE. However, the Directorate of Estates (DoE) found the former MP’s explanation of why she should be allowed to continue staying in the government bungalow unsatisfactory. On Tuesday, Mahua Moitra was sent another notice asking her to vacate the government bungalow immediately.
Moitra then approached the Delhi High Court challenging the DoE’s notice asking her to vacate the bungalow immediately. However, the court rejected her plea and said the allotment of the government accommodation was co-terminus with her status as an MP, which came to an end upon her expulsion.
Expulsion from Lok Sabha
TMC’s Mahua Moitra was held guilty of “unethical conduct” and expelled from Lok Sabha on December 8 last year for allegedly accepting gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani and sharing her user ID and password of the Parliament website with him.