Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Meghalaya police rescued five children from the farmhouse of state BJP vice president Bernard Marak that was allegedly run as a brothel.
During a seven to eight-hour long raid conducted at the farmhouse in Tura on Friday evening, the police recovered 400 bottles of liquor, 500 packets of condom and contraceptive pills, 37 vehicles, 47 mobile phones, Rs 30,000 and incriminating documents.
Director-General of Police LR Bishnoi said the five children were locked inside a room and the police rescued them by breaking the lock. He said 73 people, including 26 females, were picked up by the police.
Bishnoi said the police could not trace Marak despite searches at his Tura residence and Shillong. He was somewhere near Guwahati the last time his mobile phone was tracked. It was subsequently found switched off, he said.
“The recovery itself indicates there was something fishy there. He has no licence to run it. The recovery of 400 bottles of liquor and 500 packets of condom and contraceptive pills indicates it was run as a brothel. Also, many of the people there were found in compromising positions. The police took action as per the law,” Bishnoi told journalists.
The police registered a case under sections 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Immoral Trafficking Act. Another case under the POCSO Act was registered with the Tura Women Police Station. The DGP said the police would go “strictly”.
Marak on Friday had slammed Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, alleging the latter was using the state machinery to malign his (Marak’s) image. He had described the raid as “political vendetta”.
The BJP is a constituent of ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance which the CM’s National People’s Party heads.
“The CM is targeting me because he knows he is going to lose the South Tura seat to the BJP,” Marak, who was in Shillong on Friday to celebrate the victory of Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential election, had said.
Marak is a former militant leader-turned-politician, currently a Member of Development Council in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.
GUWAHATI: Meghalaya police rescued five children from the farmhouse of state BJP vice president Bernard Marak that was allegedly run as a brothel.
During a seven to eight-hour long raid conducted at the farmhouse in Tura on Friday evening, the police recovered 400 bottles of liquor, 500 packets of condom and contraceptive pills, 37 vehicles, 47 mobile phones, Rs 30,000 and incriminating documents.
Director-General of Police LR Bishnoi said the five children were locked inside a room and the police rescued them by breaking the lock. He said 73 people, including 26 females, were picked up by the police.
Bishnoi said the police could not trace Marak despite searches at his Tura residence and Shillong. He was somewhere near Guwahati the last time his mobile phone was tracked. It was subsequently found switched off, he said.
“The recovery itself indicates there was something fishy there. He has no licence to run it. The recovery of 400 bottles of liquor and 500 packets of condom and contraceptive pills indicates it was run as a brothel. Also, many of the people there were found in compromising positions. The police took action as per the law,” Bishnoi told journalists.
The police registered a case under sections 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Immoral Trafficking Act. Another case under the POCSO Act was registered with the Tura Women Police Station. The DGP said the police would go “strictly”.
Marak on Friday had slammed Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, alleging the latter was using the state machinery to malign his (Marak’s) image. He had described the raid as “political vendetta”.
The BJP is a constituent of ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance which the CM’s National People’s Party heads.
“The CM is targeting me because he knows he is going to lose the South Tura seat to the BJP,” Marak, who was in Shillong on Friday to celebrate the victory of Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential election, had said.
Marak is a former militant leader-turned-politician, currently a Member of Development Council in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.