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Meghalaya BJP leader accused of running prostitution ring arrested in UP
Meghalaya state BJP vice president, Bernard N Marak, was arrested during checking of vehicles on the national highway.
Meghalaya state BJP vice president, Bernard N Marak, who is accused of running a prostitution racket, and had been on the run since Saturday, was arrested on Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh, officials confirmed. According to Meghalaya DGP, LR Bishnoi, Marak was arrested in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh police following a nationwide alert seeking his arrest by Meghalaya Police. Marak was arrested during checking of vehicles on the national highway.
The BJP leader's arrest comes a day after a court in Tura, Meghalaya, had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him.
West Garo Hills district police of Meghalaya on Saturday claimed to have busted a sex racket allegedly operating from a building owned by Bernard leading to the arrest of over 75 people and rescue of five children including a minor girl.
WGH police chief Vivekananda Singh Rathore told HT over phone from Tura on Saturday, “From the materials recovered as well as the design of building etc, it appears that the place was being used by Bernard N Marak and his accomplices as a “brothel” for the purpose of prostitution.”
But the BJP has termed the move as part of a political vendetta by the National Peoples' Party-led government in the state of which the saffron party is a minor partner.
"I have personally spoken with renowned and respected individuals from Tura and surrounding areas and I have come to the conclusion that Bernard Marak has been unjustly framed and maligned,” BJP Meghalaya president Ernest Mawrie stated.
Bernard, is the former chairman of the disbanded rebel outfit Achik National Volunteer Council - Breakaway (ANVC-B).
“This is a police matter I have no say in it. The police are proceeding with the case as per the evidence gathered and as per due process of the law.” Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said on Monday while responding to BJP's charges of political vendetta. “There is no politics involved, I assure you. The law will take its own course of action.”
