The Meghalaya Police on Thursday found explosives and traditional weapons from the farmhouse of state Bharatiya Janata Party leader Bernard N Marak, PTI reported.
Marak, the vice-president of the BJP’s Meghalaya unit, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police in the Hapur district on Tuesday. The Meghalaya Police have accused him of turning his farmhouse on the outskirts of Tura town into a brothel.
The BJP leader was absconding since the police raided his farmhouse on July 23. Six children were rescued and 73 persons were arrested following the raid.
After Marak’s arrest, the police and the West Garo Hills District Child Protection Unit went to his farmhouse to collect books and clothes belonging to children rescued from there, according to East Mojo. At that time, they found a small structure resembling a door in the house. When officials broke the door, they reportedly found explosives and traditional arms there.
“A total of 35 gelatine sticks and 100 detonators, four crossbows and 15 arrows were seized from the farmhouse,” said Vivekananda Singh, superintendent of police of West Garo Hills, under which Tura falls.
The police subsequently added charges under the Explosive Substances Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences to the original first information report.
Marak is an elected member of the Garo Hill Autonomous District Council and has recently been in the news for criticising the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government. His party, the BJP, is an alliance partner of the Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party in the government.
After the raid, Marak accused Chief Minister Conrad Sangma of misusing the government machinery to settle personal scores with him.
BJP Meghalaya President Ernest Mawrie also backed his claim. “Bernard Marak has been unjustly framed and maligned,” he said. “It appears that he is a victim of a political vendetta.”
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong rejected the allegations, saying that the government allows the police to act according to their wisdom.
“Law is law irrespective of any party and whether or not he is part of the government,” Tynsong said. “Unpleasant things have happened and we will let the law take its own course.”
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