GUWAHATI: Meghalaya police rescued five children from the farmhouse of state BJP vice president Bernard Marak that was allegedly run as a brothel.
Rimpu Bagan, a farmhouse owned by militant-turned-politician Marak, was raided on the basis of a tip-off, West Garo Hills district's Superintendent of Police Vivekanand Singh told PTI.
"We have rescued six minors -- four boys and two girls -- who were found locked inside dingy cabin-like unhygienic rooms at Rimpu Bagan, run by Bernard N Marak and his accomplices as a brothel, for the purpose of prostitution," Singh said.
Seventy-three people, including 26 females, were arrested for their indulgence in "nefarious activities" as evident from the material seized, Singh said, adding that the farmhouse has 30 small rooms.
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.
It is suspected to be the place where a girl was sexually assaulted, and a case was filed in that regard in February, Singh said. The relatives of the girl traced her to Rimpu Bagan, he said.
"It was ascertained that the minor was sexually assaulted multiple times over one week, and a case was registered under IPC sections 366A (procuration of minor girl), 376 (punishment for rape) and sections of the POCSO Act," Singh said.
The survivor had told the court that she and her friend were taken to Rimpu Bagan by the accused. The accused persons hired a room there and sexually assaulted her multiple times, Singh said.
Multiple verbal complaints were also received from residents of Tura town, alleging that immoral activities were going on at Rimpu Bagan, following which the operation was planned, Singh said.
Director-General of Police LR Bishnoi said the five children were locked inside a room and the police rescued them by breaking the lock.
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 condoms 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.
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 the 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 currently a Member of the Development Council in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.
There are more than 25 criminal cases against Marak, the then self-styled chairman of now disbanded militant outfit Achik National Voluntary Council (B), since the early 2000s, police said.
(With PTI inputs)