SHILLONG: The manager of Marvelen’s Inn, which is run by the family of Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh, has been arrested in connection with the rape and trafficking of the 14-year-old girl.
However, police are tightlipped about any action against the owners of the Inn.
The arrest of Edmund Paul Kharir (36) under the POCSO Act on Thursday evening comes two months after a waiter at the guest house at Rilbong identified as Usha Deb Barman was held on December 16.
The manager was admitted to Civil Hospital after he complained of ill health.
It was learnt that the chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights was annoyed at many an accused feigning sickness after their arrest. Sources said that it took over a month to arrest the manager as it was only after the FIR lodged by CSWO and TUR on January 8 that the police started fresh investigation under the POCSO Act.
However, the police are yet to act against the owners of the inn. CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said on Thursday the visiting card of the guest house has the phone number of the Home Minister’s wife, which reveals that she is running the hotel. However, Lyngdoh’s son had earlier claimed that he was the proprietor.
When contacted, a police official said that investigation was still on to ascertain the role of the owners of the Inn.
Charge-sheet on first FIR pending
Sources closely following up the sex racket case said while the police were prompt in filing charge sheet against Mawhati legislator Julius Dorphang, there is delay in filing charge sheet against those involved in Marvelene’s Inn case though the first FIR lodged on December 16 last by the victim was related to the rape incident at the Inn on December 15 night.
However, the FIR related to Dorphang was filed one week later on December 24 and charge sheet in this regard, especially for the rape of the girl by the MLA at a guest house at Motinagar, was filed by the police first within 45 days.
One of the accused in the Marvelene’s Inn case,Madan Bahadur Thapa, had surrendered before the then OC, Madanrting B.K Mishra and subsequently he was arrested.
The charge sheet against the first FIR related to Marvelene’s Inn is taking time raising suspicion on the yardsticks the police are following on the sex racket case, sources added.
The first FIR filed by the victim at Laban police station was comprehensive enough to start a single investigation, the sources said, adding that the FIR was transferred to Madanrting police station citing that the place of occurrence was under its jurisdiction since trafficker Mamoni Parveen was residing at Demthring. The incident has led to a situation of multiple FIRs and many charge sheets to be filed by the police.
There are still four more persons including a professor of an institute in the city who are yet to be arrested by the police.
