Odisha law minister resigns on dowry torture charges

Opposition Congress stalls assembly, demands minister's arrest

The Opposition Congress today created ruckus in the state assembly, demanding arrest of minister for law, housing & urban development and information technology, Raghunath Mohanty barely hours after he resigned on dowry torture charges leveled by his daughter-in-law Barsha Sony Mohanty.

The house proceedings were paralysed during the question hour and zero hour with the Congress legislators unrelenting in their demand for arrest of the former law minister. Terming the case against Mohanty a ‘criminal case’, Congress legislator Santosh Singh Saluja said, the former minister needs to be arrested.

Earlier this morning Mohanty went to Naveen Niwas, residence of chief minister Naveen Patnaik and tendered his resignation in the wake of a case of ‘dowry torture’ registered against him in the Balasore town police station by Barsha.

His resignation was later accepted by the chief minister, who has distributed Mohanty’s portfolios among three his colleagues. While tourism minister, Maheshwar Mohanty will handle the law portfolio, agriculture minister Debi Prasad Mishra has been given additional charge of housing & urban development ministry and food supplies and consumer welfare minister Pratap Keshari Deb will oversee the functions of information technology department.

Last night, Barsha had lodged an FIR against the minister, his wife Pritilata, his son Rajasree and other family members. She accused her in-laws of demanding a hefty dowry amount of Rs 25 lakh and a multi-utility vehicle, which she felt were sought keeping in view the electoral ambitions of her spouse. Barsha alleged that she was subjected to physical and mental torture for dowry.

“I have submitted my resignation to the Chief Minister on moral grounds,” Mohanty told reporters outside Naveen Niwas.

On the basis of the complaint lodged by Barsha, a case has been registered against the minister and others under section 498 (A), 506, 448 and 34 of IPC, police said.

Mohanty trashed charges against him and his family. “Allegations against me and my family are totally false and baseless. The people of Balasore know the truth. Let the law take its own course. I’m ready to face any unbiased probe,” said Mohanty, five-time MLA from Basta constituency in Balasore district.

Mohanty has been a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government since 2000, holding key portfolios like industries, steel & mines, panchayati raj, parliamentary affairs and information technology.

“Consequent upon the FIR lodged in the Balasore town police station, minister Raghunath Mohanty has resigned on moral grounds. I have forwarded his resignation to the honourable Governor for acceptance. The case is transferred to the human rights protection cell,” Patnaik said on the floor of the house.