Bhubaneswar/Balasore, Mar 30: After evading police for a fortnight, former Odisha minister Raghunath Mohanty and his wife were arrested from West Bengal today and brought to Balasore in a dowry torture case slapped by their daughter-in-law.
"The former minister and his wife Pritilata Mohanty were arrested from a place in Howrah district of West Bengal by a team of Human Rights Protection Cell of Odisha Police," Director General of Police Prakash Mishra said.
On the basis of specific information, a "crack" team of HRPC went to West Bengal and caught the Mohanty couple from Shantikunj Apartments at Betaitola near Shalimar station in Howrah district early this morning, he said.
The arrest was made after ascertaining their whereabouts through intensive investigation involving tapping of over 50 telephones, the DGP said, adding the Mohanty couple had taken two flats on rent in the same complex since March 20 in the name of different persons.
After completion of procedural formalities, the senior BJD leader and his wife were brought to Odisha and interrogated by an investigating team at Chandipur Marine Police Station, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and Chief of HRPC, B K Sharma said.
The arrest came after their daughter-in-law Barsa Swony Choudhury filed an FIR at Balasore Town Police station on March 14 accusing the then Law and Urban Development Minister and four family members, including her husband, of physically and mentally torturing her for dowry.
Mohanty resigned from Naveen Patnaik Ministry the next day on March 15, while his son Raja Shree Mohanty was arrested near Cuttack on March 17 and sent to jail.
Besides Mohanty couple and their son, the FIR named their daughter Rupasree and son-in-law Suvendu Madhual, police said, adding Barsa alleged that Mohanty's family tortured her demanding Rs 25 lakh, luxury vehicle and other things. She also accused her husband of having extra-marital relations.
Thanking police for arresting the duo, Barsa said "I am happy to certain extent .. two more persons (Rupashree and her husband) need to be arrested. All of them were equally responsible for torturing me."
Barsa said though the ex-minister was not involved in torturing her, Pritilata and Rupashree allegedly subjected her to physical and mental torture in his presence.
Barsa's father Kishore Choudhury said the arrest was possible as the matter was properly highlighted by media.
Soon after the arrest of Mohanty and his wife, government deputy whip Sanjay Dasburma said, "It proves the BJD government never shields anyone. Law has taken its own course.
Nobody is above the law in which people should have faith.
"After resigning as minister, Mohanty as well as his family members had remained incommunicado.
As the issue triggered a major controversy in the state and rocked the assembly amid demands for the arrest of the former minister, ruling BJD leaders, who initially described the case as a family affair, subsequently appealed to Mohanty to surrender.
Activists of different political parties including Congress and BJP staged demonstrations demanding arrest of Mohanty, MLA from Basta in Balasore district for the fifth consecutive term who had become minister in 2005.
Unable to persuade Mohanty to surrender, ruling BJD yesterday issued a veiled threat asking him to respect law or face the consequences.
"I will like to request Raghunath Mohanty to cooperate with the law before the matter gets further complicated," Dasburma had said.
As Mohanty was on the run, BJD chief whip Pravat Tripathy had also appealed him to surrender four days ago.
Mohanty through his lawyer had also moved Orissa High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and also legal protection which were turned down.
Barsa had alleged that she was tortured physically and mentally at the house of Mohanty for dowry.
Besides being a long time MLA and a minister, Mohanty was also a vice-president of BJD.
Congress and BJP had targeted Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik holding him responsible for the "escape" of Mohanty and shielding him.
