Cagey Deborah denies hand

SHILLONG: A cagey Deborah Marak, who was charge sheeted by the police, on Monday denied ever using militants to further her electoral cause. She, however, said if any of her workers have been wrong, she could not be blamed.

“I have not used any militant outfit to seek votes and if at all my supporters had used the help of militants, I cannot be blamed”, she said.

According to Deborah, she had won four times and during this period, she had not resorted to any unlawful activities.

She said the people of Williamnagar need not be pressurized to vote for her as they are matured and educated people.

“Will mature people succumb to the pressure of underground militants who are staying in the jungle”, she asked

The Minister said that she had thousands of party workers and she cannot be held responsible even if some workers had resorted to any unlawful activities.

She also said that the police had not served any charge-sheet to her.

Conspiracy alleged

The lawyer of Tennydard alleged that the filing of charge sheet may be a conspiracy to scuttle the move on the part of him to pursue the case related to the ST status issue of the Chief Minister.

“We have not seen the charge-sheet, we will ask for the certified copies”, the lawyer said adding that he had filed a petition before Chief Judicial Magistrate, Williamnagar, on October 30 seeking the details of the Willimnagar case.

Earlier on October 2 police had gone to the house of Tennydard in connection with a related case, and gave him four days timeto report to police station, the lawyer alleged.

“We had even asked for 45 days’ time to submit our views, but in vain”, the lawyer said.

Tennydard, who was a Youth Congress worker, was summoned to appear in Williamnagar police station in connection with the election case under Section 171F/506 of Indian Penal Code.

While 171F is punishment for undue influence or impersonation at an election, Section 506 speaks about criminal intimidation. However, details were not mentioned in the summon.