Law to take its course on minister`s hiding kin: Naveen

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday said law will take its own course regarding the dowry torture case, in which former minister Raghunath Mohanty and some his family members are accused.

"As you know, law will take its course in the matter," Patnaik told reporters here on his return from a five-day visit to Delhi, when asked about Mohanty`s daughter Rupashree and son-in-law Subhendu Madhual, who are absconding. Patnaik`s comment comes a day after Mohanty, the former Law minister who had resigned on March 15, and his wife Pritilata were arrested from the Shalimar locality in Howrah district of West Bengal by the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of the Odisha Police. On a possible political vacuum in Mohanty`s home district, Balasore, after his arrest and removal from party post, Patnaik said "We will certainly look into the matter". Both Mohanty`s daughter and son-in-law are among the five accused named in the dowry torture case filed by Mohanty`s daughter-in-law Barsa Swony Choudhury at Balasore Town police station on March 14. Barsa`s husband Raja Shree was arrested near Cuttack on March 17 and is in judicial custody. Stating that she was now happy to some extent, Barsa had yesterday said that the remaining two accused should also be arrested and had alleged that the Mohanty family had demanded Rs 25 lakh and a luxury vehicle among other things as dowry. She also accused her husband of having extra-marital affairs. A case had been registered against the five under section 498(A) (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 448 (trespass) and 34 (common intention) of IPC and section 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act. PTI