New Delhi, March 14 -- The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Delhi High Court order directing the Lokpal to grant sanction within two months to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for filing a charge sheet against Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra in an alleged cash-for-query case. The order was passed on a petition filed by the Lokpal challenging two judgments of the high court -- the December 19, 2025 decision permitting Lokpal to grant sanction within a month followed by another order of January 23 extending this time by two months. The anti-corruption ombudsman, in its petition, said that while the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 provides sanction to be granted at two stages -- first at the stage of filing of charge sheet under section 20(7) and later at the stage of initiating prosecution under section 20(8), the high court erroneously held there cannot be two sanctions contemplated by the Act. The court had held that the first sanction should be deemed as the sanction for prosecution as well. The Lokpal, represented by senior advocate Ranjit Kumar and advocate Nishant Katneshwarkar, said that its appeal seeks to settle the law and the procedure and manner in which Lokpal should act. Kumar said, "We need an authoritative pronouncement to enable us know the procedure to be followed under the Lokpal Act 2013. We are not here for one or two individuals but on the interpretation of certain sections of the Act." The Lokpal also challenged similar orders passed by the Delhi High Court quashing proceedings against defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and a railway official Mujahat Ali Khan in separate cases where common questions of law arose. On December 19, 2025, the high court had set aside an order of the Lokpal granting sanction to CBI to file a charge sheet in the alleged cash-for-query case. "The Lokpal is requested to accord its consideration for grant of sanction under Section 20 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013, strictly in accordance with provisions thereof as construed hereinabove, within a period of one month from today," the high court had said in paragraph 89 of the judgment. On Friday, the top court bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi said, "The order of the high court passed on January 23 shall remain stayed.Meanwhile, Lokpal of India need not comply with paragraph 89 of the judgment of December 19 of the Delhi high court." Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, informed the court that it supports the order of the high court so far as the interpretation of the Act is concerned, but held that Moitra needs to be investigated. Moitra is accused of giving access to her official MP ID to Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani to post questions on the Lok Sabha portal on her behalf and receiving expensive gifts from the businessman and funding her trips abroad. While Hiranandani has corroborated the charges, Moitra has denied the allegations. Moitra was represented in the top court by senior advocate Nidhesh Gupta while the complainant Dubey was not represented in court. Gupta said that while the court may consider the questions posed by Lokpal, further proceedings in the case should be paused. The bench noted that the interpretation of Lokpal Act has come up before the court for the first time and issued notice to Moitra, Dubey and CBI . At the same time, the court admitted, "We would like to examine section 20. Prima facie, we agree the high court order is a wrong interpretation of section 20(7) and 20(8) of the Act. Apparently, the high court seems to have made a purposive interpretation of two provisions by taking a view how filing of charge sheet and initiating prosecution can be split." The Lokpal also questioned the HC judgment for not issuing any notice to it before passing the order and hearing only CBI, which was the agency assigned by Lokpal to carry out the investigation....