Alleging that the State Government is following a policy of pick and choose while referring cases of dowry torture to the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of police, the Opposition Congress on Tuesday alleged in the Assembly that the law is not taking its own course in the high-profile dowry torture case involving former minister Raghunath Mohanty.
‘’Mr Chief Minister, law is not taking its own course when it comes to your party MLAs and ministers,’’ Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said while participating in a discussion on the admissibility of an adjournment motion notice on the rape and murder of a 17-year old dalit girl in Gondia block of Dhenkanal district. Referring to the Chief Minister’s often repeated statement that “law will take its own course”, the Congress leader claimed that law is not properly implemented in dowry torture case involving the senior BJD leader. The Chief Minister, who was present in the House during Singh’s statement remained silent and even didn’t respond to the Opposition’s remark during his reply.
Though Congress members did not make fresh demand of Mohanty’s arrest today, the party’s chief whip Prasad Harichandan alleged that the HRPC was virtually not working. Harichandan said that the HRPC had taken up investigation of only one case of dowry torture during 2012. He said that during 2013 the dowry torture case involving former minister Mohanty and his family members has been referred to it. “The State Government is selectively referring cases to the HRPC,” Harichandan said.
He said outside the House that the dowry torture case allegedly involving the senior BJD leader was intentionally given to HRPC with an aim to delay the process. The Chief Minister had ordered HRPC probe into the dowry torture case allegedly involving Mohanty. The Law Minister had resigned on March 15, a day after his daughter-in-law Barsa Swony Choudhury lodged complaint in Balasore. HRPC has already arrested Mohanty’s son Raja Sree and probing evidence against other accused including the former minister, his wife, his daughter and her husband.