File picture of Raghunath Mohanty (left) and KK Chaudhary embracing each other in samudi milan

Bhubaneswar/Balasore, March 15: Minister Raghunath Mohanty today tendered his resignation on moral grounds following allegations of dowry torture against him and his family by his daughter-in-law.

Barsa Swony Choudhary, 23, the daughter-in-law of Mohanty, who held the portfolios of law, IT and housing and urban development, lodged an FIR with Balasore police last night, accusing her husband and his family members of meting out physical and mental torture to her.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik and the governor accepted Mohanty’s resignation.

Barsa, a BTech graduate, has named her husband Raja Shree Mohanty, 28, also a tech graduate, and other members of his family, including father Raghunath Mohanty, mother Pritilata, sister Rupashree Madual and her husband Dr Suvendu Madhual (a paediatric specialist), in her complaint. Apprehending arrest, Raja Shree Mohanty today moved Orissa High Court for anticipatory bail.

As soon as the dowry abuse news trickled in, pressure mounted on Mohanty to step down from the ministry. Early this morning, Mohanty went to Naveen Nivas and tendered his resignation. Denying the allegations, Mohanty said: “I have resigned on moral grounds. The allegation against my family is false and fabricated.”

The Assembly witnessed a pandemonium on the matter and the chief minister said: “Mohanty’s resignation letter has been sent to the governor for his assent. To ensure a free and fair probe, the case has been transferred to the Human Rights Protection Cell.”

The chief minister allocated agriculture minister Debi Prasad Mishra additional charge of housing and urban development while tourism minister Maheshwar Mohanty has been given charge of law. The information and technology department that belonged to Mohanty has gone to food and consumer welfare minister Pratap Kesari Deb.

After the chief minister’s announcement, a five-member team led by a deputy superintendent of police left for Balasore to start the probe into the dowry allegations.

Inspector in charge of Balasore Town police station Umesh Chandra Garnaik said a case has been registered under IPC sections 498-A (cruelty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 448 (house trespass) and 34 (furtherance of common intention) and section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act against all accused. Under these sections, one can be imprisoned for three years to seven years along with a fine.

Lawyer Dharinidhar Nayak said: “The police have the power to arrest those named in the FIR. However, they can evade arrest if they get a bail in advance.”

Barsa has alleged that Raja and his family were demanding money from her ever since the marriage took place on June 24 last year at Bhoisahi in Balasore.

She told reporters that Raja was interested to contest the coming elections and needed money for campaign. “He has been demanding Rs 25 lakh and a Scorpio. He has been torturing me physically as well as mentally. I brought it to the notice of Raghunath Mohanty, the head of the family, but even he did not pay any heed to it,” she said.

She also accused her husband of having illicit relationships. “He has been neglecting me since we got married. Just four days after our marriage, he left me,” she added. Barsa, who is now staying at her parents’ house because of the alleged torture, claimed that there was an attempt to kidnap and kill her on March 13.

Her father Kishore Kumar Chaudhary, a Class A contractor, said: “Barsa is my only child and an all-rounder. I want justice for her. About 2kg of gold ornaments, cash and other articles were given at the time of marriage. However, when things went out of hand, she had no option but to lodge an FIR.”

The Opposition today got a shot in the arm and targeted the BJD government on the issue. AICC observer in charge of Odisha affairs Jagdish Tytler demanded Naveen Patnaik’s resignation. “Naveen should step down and the minister should be put behind bars,” he said.

The BJD reacted sharply to the Opposition’s demands for Naveen’s scalp. Senior BJD leader and health minister Damodar Rout said: “The Congress is frustrated. They want to politicise the issue. When he has tendered his resignation, no one should point fingers at the government.”

Mohanty, a popular leader of Balasore district, was first elected to the Assembly in 1990 on Janata Dal ticket. Since then, he has been representing the Basta constituency. He is the 13th minister in the Naveen Patnaik government to resign.