TURA/SHILLONG, July 23: In a sensational development, police busted a brothel allegedly run by state BJP vice president and Tura MDC Bernard R Marak in a farmhouse located on the outskirts of Tura. On Friday night, a posse of policemen raided the hideout and picked up 68 men and women many of whom were found naked.
The suspected kingpin, Bernard Marak, a surrendered underground activist, is on the run.
Police are going all out to track him down.
Incidentally, in an email to The Shillong Times late Saturday evening, Marak said that he is out of station with “work” but will return in a few days and cooperate with the investigation.
The raid led to recovery of 36 vehicles, 47 mobile phones, over 168 litres of liquor, over 500 unused contraceptives, besides other incriminating materials. About Rs 30,000 in cash was also recovered.
The search conducted by West Garo Hills (WGH) Police at the farmhouse located at Edenbari, on the outskirts of Tura, continued on Saturday.
According to police, the farmhouse contains about 30 rooms on three-storied building.
“The team noticed a lot of young boys and girls drinking in the open, inside the rooms as well as in their cars. Some of them had no clothes while some others had very little on them. Accordingly 68 of them were detained for questioning,” the report added.
Some, however, were able to escape taking advantage of the darkness. The search team also apprehended the manager, caretaker and three other staff.
Police statement said that they also found five children (four boys and a girl) who allegedly were locked up in dingy cabin-like rooms.
“All the children were in a state of shock and were unable to speak properly. They were handed over to the DCPO for safe keeping and further necessary action,” added the release.
Based on the findings of the police, the release stated that from the looks of the place, it seemed the setup was being run as a brothel by Bernard and his accomplices.
A case under Immoral Trafficking (Prevention), Act, 1956 has been registered against Bernard and all 73 detained persons were arrested by the police and forwarded to Court.
“He (Bernard) was verbally instructed to cooperate with the investigation and surrender to the Shillong Sadar PS. However, he has not cooperated and evaded arrest. An investigation into the case is currently on and searches are being conducted,” the police release said.
Search operations in Tura are still being conducted by the police with the house of the Tura MDC’s mother also searched, as per reports.
According to the release by police on Friday, an FIR was received on February 28, 2022, by the parents of a minor, who had apparently been sexually assaulted, allegedly at the farmhouse of Bernard R Marak. The girl had mentioned in Court of being taken to the farmhouse by her assaulter, who along with another friend continually assaulted her for a week before she was rescued by her relatives.
The two accused have, thereafter, been arrested under POCSO.
Based on the information of the minor, a special operation was launched on Friday at the farmhouse, where the minor is suspected to have been sexually assaulted.
DGP clears air on warrant
Meanwhile, DGP LR Bishnoi clarified that a warrant for the raid was not required since it was conducted in continuation of a follow-up on the POCSO case related to the girl.
Commenting on the seizure from raids, the DGP said, “Recovery of more than 400-500 packets of condoms indicate that it was run as a brothel.”
When asked for a statement on the MDC’s whereabouts, Bishnoi said Marak was not found in his residence, adding that despite information about him being in Shillong, he could not be traced.
The last location was somewhere near Guwahati, and since then, his phone has been switched off, the DGP added.
Responding to a query on the Tura MDC’s accusations against Police of working at the behest of high and mighty, the DGP refuted the charges, while asserting that the police will always work according to rules.
The recovery of incriminating items indicates that there was something suspicious, he said, adding that Marak had no licence to operate the place.
