Balasore: Former Odisha law minister Raghunath Mohanty`s son Raja Shree, who was arrested for torturing his wife for dowry, was remanded to judicial custody for two weeks by a court here Monday.
Raja Shree, arrested near Cuttack yesterday, was brought here and produced before Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Ranjan Kumar Sutar, who sent him to jail for 14 days after rejecting his bail plea.
Before being produced in the court, Raja Shree was interrogated by officers of Odisha Police`s Human Rights Protection Cell, who arrested him after his wife Barsa Swony Choudhury filed a dowry torture case against him.
Apart from Raja Shree, Barsha had filed FIR at Balasore Town Police Station on March 14 against four other family members including Raghunath Mohanty, who had to resign as law and urban development minister on March 15.
While Raghunath Mohanty refuted the allegations as false and baseless, the HRPC, which is probing the case, arrested his son yesterday after finding prima facie evidence against him, a senior police officer said.
Barsha, an engineering graduate, has also accused Raja Shree of having extra-marital relations besides torturing her mentally and physically.
The police have registered a caseunder sections 498(a), 448, 506, 34of the IPC and section 4 of theDowry Prohibition Act.
Asked if other family members, including Raghunath Mohanty, can be arrested, Additional DG (HRPC) BK Sharma said an investigation was on and appropriate action will be taken as per requirement of the case.
"Our main focus is on the accused husband. We will proceed (in the case) according to proof," Sharma said adding that there was no need to take Mohanty on remand, but if required the HRPC may do so in future.
Raghunath Mohanty, whose arrest was demanded from various quarters, remained incommunicado. He was neither seen at the Assembly since then nor at his residence, while his mobile phone remained switched off.
The issue sparked pandemonium in the Assembly for two days, while various organisations including the Congress and BJP staged demonstrations at different places, demanding the ex-minister`s arrest.
PTI
