Former Minister of law Raghunath Mohanty remained incommunicado since Sunday morning as demand for his arrest gained momentum, both in the State Assembly and outside for his alleged role in the case of torture of his daughter-in-law.
The five-time MlA from Basta Assembly segment and prominent BJD leader resigned from the Council of Ministers on March 15 after his daughter-in-law Barshasoni Choudhury lodged an FIR at the Baleswar town police station. Mohanty was available to media and others after he tendered resignation though he did not attend the Assembly.
Subsequently, Mohanty remained incommunicado and even his mobile number was switched off even as the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) sleuths rushed to Baleswar and began investigation into the high-profile dowry torture case.
Mohanty’s alleged involvement in the dowry torture case in the election year has given the opposition Congress a shot in arm. The incident has brought a lot of discomforts for the ruling BJD. Besides Congress, BJP and frontal organizations of the left parties have hit the streets demanding the arrest of Mohanty. They are also opposed to the HRPC probe into the case instead of police investigation.
leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh told reporters that he wanted to know why the case against Mohanty was handed over to the HRPC for investigation. Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan claimed that the Government had handed over the case to the HRPC to cause delay and give time to Mohanty to destroy evidence against him and his family.
BJP women wing leader Surama Padhi said, "The Chief Minister handed over the probe just to shield the Mohanty family."
Senior BJD leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das, however, claimed that the HRPC had been ordered to investigate the case to maintain transparency. "We believe that Mohanty's family could influence the local police. Therefore, a HRPC probe will be more accurate and neutral," Das claimed.