Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Friday reportedly stayed a portion of a December 2025 order of the Delhi High Court that had allowed the Lokpal to reconsider granting sanction to the CBI to file a chargesheet against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in the alleged cash-for-query case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to Moitra, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who had lodged the complaint that triggered the proceedings.
The stay relates to paragraph 89 of the high court’s December 19, 2025 judgment. In that paragraph, the high court had asked the Lokpal to reconsider the question of sanction under Section 20 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act and decide the issue within one month.
While hearing a batch of petitions concerning the powers and procedure prescribed under Section 20 of the Act, the apex court stayed that direction and sought responses from the parties.
The Delhi High Court had earlier set aside a November 12, 2025 order of the Lokpal which had granted sanction to the CBI to file a chargesheet against Moitra in connection with the alleged cash-for-query scandal.
Moitra had moved the high court challenging the Lokpal’s sanction order, arguing that the procedure adopted under the Lokpal Act was flawed.
After the high court quashed its sanction order but asked it to reconsider the matter afresh, the Lokpal approached the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the direction.