Balasore, March 31: Former law minister Raghunath Mohanty is being treated for high blood pressure and other ailments at Balasore jail.

He had been lodged in the jail following his arrest from Howrah, near Calcutta.

Mohanty, who was accused of dowry torture by daughter-in-law Barsa Swony Choudhary, was remanded to judicial custody till April 2, when his bail petition would be heard by the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate.

He became sick soon after reaching here yesterday.

“His blood pressure was slightly high when I checked him after he complained of uneasiness yesterday afternoon. He has been taking medicines for heart problems and diabetes. The anxiety probably caused his blood pressure to go up,” said jail doctor Mohammad Nurul Hussain.

“His health is being monitored. His pulse rate was slightly higher than normal this morning,” he said. After nearly two weeks on the run, Mohanty was apprehended from a flat at Howrah, along with his wife Pritilata, who is also being held in the Balasore jail.

“Pritilata has been lodged in the women’s ward,” said prison welfare officer Debabrata Jena.

The couple’s son, Raja Shree, has been in jail since March 18. Daughter-in-law Barsa has said the other two accused — Rupa Shree Madhual and Subhendu Madhual (daughter and son-in-law of Ragunath Mohanty) — should also be arrested at the earliest.

“Since all the five have an equal role in torturing me physically and mentally, the other two should also be put behind bars,” said she.

Subhendu, a government doctor posted at a district headquarters hospital, is on leave. “Madhual has been on leave from March 15,” said additional district medical officer Mahesh Biswal. The couple’s whereabouts are yet to be ascertained.

Deputy superintendent of police Subal Kar, who heads the investigating team, said: “Efforts are on to nab the two.”

The Opposition has slammed the police for delaying the arrest of the former law minister. Ridiculing chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s claim of delivering justice, senior BJP leader Biswa Bhusana Harichandan said: “The law failed to take its course in this high-profile case.” State Congress president Niranjan Patnaik demanded a fast track court to deal with the case.