Dowry torture, domestic violence allegations against 2 former Odisha ministers

Ronali, 31, who got married to Behera’s son Satya Prakash on March 3, 2021, said she had been living with her parents since July 30 because of the “mental and physical torture” she had been facing at her in-laws’ house.

“Days after marriage, my in-laws started torturing me, both physically and mentally, demanding more cash and jewellery. When I informed my husband, he started abusing me. I also came to know about the extramarital affairs of my husband. I did not file any complaint immediately as I thought things would get settled,” Ronali told reporters.

Behera denied the allegations, saying they were part of a conspiracy to defame him.

“My son and his wife might have some personal problems, but the allegations of domestic violence are baseless and false. People of Odisha know my credentials. While inviting guests to my son’s wedding, I even printed not to bring any gifts,” Behera told reporters here.

A three-time MLA, Behera was inducted in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s Cabinet in 2017 and given the crucial Finance portfolio, which he held until 2019. Behera had also been nominated to the Rajya Sabha on a BJD ticket in 2010.

Allegations against Behera and his family came to light close on the heels of dowry torture accusations levelled by Adrija Manjari Singh against her husband Arkesh Narayan Singh Deo and members of his family, including his father, senior BJD leader A U Singh Deo.

Adrija, the granddaughter of former Prime Minister V P Singh, got married to Arkesh on November 23, 2017.

Though she had filed a complaint against her husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law Vijay Lakshmi Devi, brother-in-law and former MP Kalikesh Singh Deo and his wife Meghna Rana in Dehradun’s Rajpur Road police station in September, sources said the complaint had not been registered. She has been living with her family in Dehradun.

Her allegations came to light on Monday, after she met Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar regarding alleged police inaction over her complaint. The DGP has reportedly directed authorities to look into the matter.

In her complaint, she said that her in-laws had been mentally harassing her for dowry.

In a video message aired on some tv channels in Odisha, Adrija said her in-laws had been harassing her.

“My movement was monitored by the guards, while a camera was installed pointing towards my room, invading my privacy,” she said. She also said that guards employed by her in-laws had pushed and attacked her “with an intent to kill”.

She also said her husband had sought divorce on mutual grounds in August 2022.

Arkesh, in a video message, denied her accusations, terming them “false and frivolous”.