<p>Odisha Law, Housing and Urban Development Minister Raghunath Mohanty on Friday resigned from the state cabinet after the local police in his home district Balasore filed a dowry case against him and other members of his family, including wife Pritilata and son Raja.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The case has been registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Mohanty’s daughter-in-law Barsa Soni Choudhury. His resignation has already been accepted by the Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.<br /><br />“I have tendered my resignation on moral grounds and to cooperate with the investigations. The law will take its own course,” Mohanty who is also a senior member of the ruling Biju Janata Dal(BJD) told journalists soon after handing over his resignation letter to the chief minister at the latter’s residence.<br /><br />In her complaint, Barsa who had married the former minister’s son in June last year, has alleged that she had been physically and mentally tortured by her husband and in-laws for dowry immediately after her marriage.<br /><br />“They were demanding Rs 25 lakh from my parents besides an SUV. I tolerated their torture for eight months and then decided to file a police complaint when the physical and mental agony became intolerable,” the young woman has alleged. <br /><br />Her husband also had an extra-marital affair which she came to know after marriage.<br />However, Mohanty, a five-time legislator from the Basta assembly seat in Balasore district, has strongly rejected the allegations.<br /><br /> “All these allegations are false and fabricated. The truth will come out soon,” he said.<br /><br />Barsa’s father Kishore Choudhury, an electrical contractor by profession, has demanded the immediate arrest of the senior BJD leader and members of his family.<br />The chief minister who also heads the home department has handed over the case to human rights protection cell of the state police for a detailed investigation.<br /> “In order to ensure a free and fair investigation, the case has been transferred to human rights protection cell,” the chief minister told reporters.<br /><br />The development had its impact in the state assembly on Friday which is on its budget session now. <br /><br />As soon as the House sat for the day, members of the Congress led by leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh were on their toes demanding a statement from the chief minister on the issue. Speaker Pradip Amat had to adjourn the House repeatedly to maintain order.<br /><br />When the chief minister made a statement in the House in the afternoon session confirming his senior colleague’s resignation, the Opposition members continued to disrupt the proceedings demanding the former minister’s immediate arrest. <br />Subsequently, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.</p>
<p>Odisha Law, Housing and Urban Development Minister Raghunath Mohanty on Friday resigned from the state cabinet after the local police in his home district Balasore filed a dowry case against him and other members of his family, including wife Pritilata and son Raja.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The case has been registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Mohanty’s daughter-in-law Barsa Soni Choudhury. His resignation has already been accepted by the Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.<br /><br />“I have tendered my resignation on moral grounds and to cooperate with the investigations. The law will take its own course,” Mohanty who is also a senior member of the ruling Biju Janata Dal(BJD) told journalists soon after handing over his resignation letter to the chief minister at the latter’s residence.<br /><br />In her complaint, Barsa who had married the former minister’s son in June last year, has alleged that she had been physically and mentally tortured by her husband and in-laws for dowry immediately after her marriage.<br /><br />“They were demanding Rs 25 lakh from my parents besides an SUV. I tolerated their torture for eight months and then decided to file a police complaint when the physical and mental agony became intolerable,” the young woman has alleged. <br /><br />Her husband also had an extra-marital affair which she came to know after marriage.<br />However, Mohanty, a five-time legislator from the Basta assembly seat in Balasore district, has strongly rejected the allegations.<br /><br /> “All these allegations are false and fabricated. The truth will come out soon,” he said.<br /><br />Barsa’s father Kishore Choudhury, an electrical contractor by profession, has demanded the immediate arrest of the senior BJD leader and members of his family.<br />The chief minister who also heads the home department has handed over the case to human rights protection cell of the state police for a detailed investigation.<br /> “In order to ensure a free and fair investigation, the case has been transferred to human rights protection cell,” the chief minister told reporters.<br /><br />The development had its impact in the state assembly on Friday which is on its budget session now. <br /><br />As soon as the House sat for the day, members of the Congress led by leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh were on their toes demanding a statement from the chief minister on the issue. Speaker Pradip Amat had to adjourn the House repeatedly to maintain order.<br /><br />When the chief minister made a statement in the House in the afternoon session confirming his senior colleague’s resignation, the Opposition members continued to disrupt the proceedings demanding the former minister’s immediate arrest. <br />Subsequently, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.</p>