Former Law and IT minister, Raghunath Mohanty and his wife, who were arrested last Friday, on charges of torturing their daughter-in-law demanding dowry, were released on Tuesday as a Balasore court granted bail to the couple.
The duo, who had to spend three days in Balasore jail following their arrest on March 30 from Shalimar area aof Kolkata where they were hiding to avoid arrest, have been asked by the court not to leave the state till the investigation is complete.
Hundreds of supporters of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA on Tuesday gathered in front of the jail to show their solidarity for the leader.
The five-time MLA from Basta in Balasore district had gone underground since Mar 21, when the High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea and also struck down his application to quash the FIR filed his daughter-in-law.
The BJD leader had to give up his ministership following the allegations, but ignored the advice of his partymen to surrender before the court for the sake of party image. The BJD promptly responded to his arrest by expelling him from the post of party vice president on the same day.
However, Mohanty's son and prime accused in the case, Rajashree Mohanty is still behind the bars and his bail plea is scheduled to come up for hearing tomorrow.
Two other accused in the case, the daughter and son-in-law of the ex-minister, are still at large.
The BJD leadership, meanwhile, has said that the party will take appropriate steps to fill up the vacuum created after Mohanty's debacle and his possible exit from Balasore politics. Meanwhile, Barsasoni Mohanty, the daughter-in-law of the ex-minister, has demanded police security for her citing danger to her life after the release of Mohanty and his wife.
