Barsa Swony seeks maintenance

BHUBANESWAR: Barsa Swony, daughter-in-law of former minister Raghunath Mohanty, on Monday moved a trial court in Balasore, seeking maintenance from her estranged husband Rajashree against whom she had brought dowry torture charges recently.
"On her behalf, I filed a petition at the SDJM court in Balasore demanding maintenance of Rs 60,000 a month from Rajashree," her lawyer Amar Ballav Nanda told media persons.
Barsa alleged that her in-laws and husband snapped all relations with her and did not bother to know about her sufferings. "Ever since they came out of bail, they have not tried to know about my hardships. I am struggling to make ends meet. I need monthly maintenance from my in-law's family," Barsa said.
Rajashree's lawyer Niranjan Panda rubbished Barsa's allegations. "Rajashree lost his job after Barsa levelled false allegations against him and his parents. My client is bankrupt and has no earning," Panda said.
Barsa, who had married Rajashree in June last year, had filed an FIR in Balasore on March 14, accusing her husband and his four family members of torturing her physically and mentally for dowry. Raghunath had resigned from the Naveen Patnaik ministry on March 15 in the wake of the controversy and mounting public outcry.
After being allegedly on the run for a fortnight, Raghunath and his wife were arrested from West Bengal on March 30 and brought to Balasore where they were remanded in judicial custody till April 2. They were granted bail on April 2 by the SDJM, Balasore. Rajashree was arrested on March 17 near Cuttack and released on bail on April 5.