GUWAHATI: Rape accused Meghalaya MLA, Julius Dorphang, was on Thursday sent to 14 days judicial custody by a local court in Shillong.
He was produced in the court at the end of his five-day police custody. The police on Thursday did not seek further custody of the MLA.
Earlier, an influential women’s organization in the State had accused the police of shielding the independent MLA, who was arrested for “sexually exploiting” a 14-year-old girl, and demanded that he
should not be granted bail.
The accusation came following a statement by the police on Wednesday that the former rebel chief-turned-neta had admitted to his crime and was cooperating with his interrogators.
The Civil Society Women Organisation (CSWO), which has launched a campaign demanding action against the MLA, alleged the police had issued the statement to “help” him get bail.
The MLA was arrested from the outskirts of Guwahati last week after he went underground to evade arrest.
The victim had filed an FIR on December 16 accusing him of sexually exploiting her in the guest house the previous day. In the FIR, she named at least eight persons. The case came to light after a waiter of the guest house was arrested for allegedly trafficking the victim.
Dorphang is the founder-chairman of banned rebel outfit Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council. He gave up arms in 2007 following differences among its leaders.