Meghalaya: Explosives recovered, 35 gelatin sticks found at BJP leader’s farmhouse accused of sex racket
The Meghalaya Police has recovered explosives from the farmhouse of BJP leader Bernard N Marak, arrested for running a sex racket. Not only this, traditional weapons (Dhanush arrow) have also been found from the leader of BJP.
Bernard N Marak was arrested from Hapur in UP on Tuesday. After this Marak was brought to Tura in West Garo Hills district. Police have also registered a case against Marak under Explosive Substances Act and POCSO Act.
Marak is a former extremist leader. On July 22, the police raided Marak’s farmhouse. Since then Marak had absconded. Police has arrested 73 people in this case. While 6 minors (four boys and 2 girls) have been rescued.
According to the police, 35 gelatin sticks, 100 detonators and four cross bows, 15 arrows have also been seized from Bernard N Marak’s farmhouse. The explosives and weapons were recovered by the police when the District Child Protection Unit and a police team went to collect books and clothes of the rescued children. The police have also registered a case under the POCSO Act against the killer. One of the 6 rescued minors has revealed that one has been physically abused.
Bernard N. Marak is also a member of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council. Marak was earlier booked under various sections of the IPC and the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956. Since the early 2000s, 25 cases have been registered against Marak.
The BJP is part of the ruling MDA in Meghalaya. In Meghalaya, the National People’s Party (NPP) is headed by the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the MDA government. Militant-turned-politician Marak had claimed that he was innocent and alleged that he was leveled by the chief minister for political vendetta. Not only this, he has also told that his life is in danger. At the same time, Meghalaya BJP also supported this claim.
There are elections in Meghalaya next year. Earlier there were speculations that BJP might field Bernard N Marak against Sangma. The Meghalaya Chief Minister on Tuesday said that he has not issued any order to send the BJP Vice President to jail.