Indian firebrand opposition parliamentarian Mahua Moitra stormed out of the Parliament's Ethics Committee meeting, to which she had been called for questioning in a so-called bribe-for-query case on Thursday, accusing MPs of asking her "filthy questions".
Ms Moitra is accused of taking bribes from business tycoon Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions in the house to corner the government over its alleged links with the multi-billionaire Gautam Adani.
Ms Moitra, 49, represents the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the regional and ruling political party in the eastern state of West Bengal and a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is widely considered to be close with Mr Adani.
Nishikant Dubey, a parliamentarian from Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, has accused her of taking bribes from Mr Hiranandani, a Dubai-based industrialist and chief executive of property conglomerate Hiranandani Group, for allegedly asking questions on his behalf.
She had appeared before the committee in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, but stormed out in protest over the line of questioning.
"They are asking filthy questions ... picking on anything, talking rubbish," she said.
Ms Moitra was asked the number of times she had visited Dubai and in which hotel she stayed.
Footage of her dramatic exit were shown on loop on TV.
Ms Moitra has repeatedly raised questions related to fraud allegations against Mr Adani, following a report by the US-based investment research firm Hindenburg.
Mr Adani, who was ranked the world's third richest person this year, suffered a sharp drop in fortunes after Hindenburg accused him of corporate malpractice, artificially boosting share prices, market manipulation and accounting fraud in his port-to-energy business empire.
The Ethics Committee is investigating allegations that Ms Moitra's questions on Mr Adani were motivated by bribes. If Ms Moitra is found guilty, the committee could recommend her suspension from the house.
What is the 'cash-for-ethics' case?
The alleged case of bribery came to light on October 15 after BJP parliamentarian Nishikant Dubey wrote a letter to the parliament in which he said he had received information from advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai claiming Ms Moitra had shared her parliament website login credentials with Mr Hiranandani.
Mr Dehadrai, 35, is a Delhi-based Supreme Court lawyer and is believed to be Ms Moitra’s former partner.
Mr Nishikant alleges that Ms Moitra had asked 50 questions in the Lok Sabha that were focused on Mr Adani and his conglomerate, allegedly at the behest of Mr Hiranandani, in return of bribes and favours worth 20 million rupees ($240,500).
Mr Dubey claims Mr Dehadrai has shared “irrefutable evidence of bribes exchanged” between Ms Moitra and Mr Hiranandani.
She has denied the allegations and has filed defamation cases at the Delhi high court against Mr Dubey, Mr Dehadrai and several news organisations .
She has also accused Mr Adani of being behind the “bogus” claims.
"The only things I have received from Darshan [Hiranandani] as a close personal friend was one scarf for my birthday present three or four years ago … there is a brand called Bobbi Brown and he bought me lipstick from the brand and eyeshadow," Ms Moitra told news channel India Today.
While she admitted to sharing her login details with Mr Hiranandanil, she insisted it was not illegal.
The Hiranandani Group refuted the allegations but Mr Hiranandani later submitted a “sworn affidavit” to the parliament’s ethics committee claiming Ms Moitra had sought expensive items as gifts from him.
He also claimed she was “ambitious and wanted to make a quick name for herself … and was advised the shortest route to fame is by personally attacking Mr Modi”.
Ms Moitra has questioned the authenticity of the affidavit and claimed Mr Modi’s office had coerced Mr Hiranandani to sign the two-page letter.
“Why would one of India's most respected/educated businessmen sign a letter like this on white paper unless a gun was put on his head to do it?" she said?
A dog and a ‘jilted lover’
The genesis of the bribery case is a bitter custody battle over Ms Moitra and Mr Dehadrai’s jointly adopted dog, Henry.
After the couple had parted ways, they split care of the three-year-old Rottweiler between them, particularly when Ms Moitra was touring her constituency for work in West Bengal’s Krishnagar.
However, she accused him of not returning her dog and filed a number of complaints with police against him alleging criminal trespass, theft, vulgar messages and abuse.
The complaints were withdrawn on October 4, shortly before the allegations of bribery emerged.
Ms Moitra has called Mr Dehadrai a “jilted lover” with an “acrimonious personal history who wanted to somehow get back at me”.
Mahua Moitra: From investment banker to political firebrand
Ms Moitra is one of India’s most prominent female politicians.
She is known for being a fiery speaker who routinely criticises Mr Modi and his policies, both within parliament and outside of it.
She studied mathematics and economics at the Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.
Before she joined politics, she worked as an investment banker in the US and UK.
She quit her job at JP Morgan in London and returned to India where she entered the political fray in 2008. She started off with a brief stint with the Indian National Congress, before joining the TMC, which has been ruling West Bengal for the past 12 years, in 2010.
After working with grassroots voters, she fought a parliamentary election in 2019 in Krishnanagar constituency and won by a majority of 60,000 votes.
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
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10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Profile of Hala Insurance
Date Started: September 2018
Founders: Walid and Karim Dib
Based: Abu Dhabi
Employees: Nine
Amount raised: $1.2 million
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, AB Accelerator, 500 Startups, private backers
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
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Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
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Transmission: Eight-speed auto
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The Light of the Moon
Director: Jessica M Thompson
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David
Three stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
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Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)
Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)
Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)
Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)
Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
