SHILLONG, July 25: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday said the charges against the state BJP vice-president, Bernard R. Marak would not be withdrawn.
“We cannot withdraw the charges just because the accused is a BJP vice-president. The law is the same for everyone,” he told reporters.
He said the law will take its own course whether or not there is pressure from the BJP leadership to withdraw the charges against Marak.
Tynsong said raids on the house of a high-profile political leader or a minister are not a new thing.
“The police carry out such raids during the course of their investigation. The raid was conducted after the police got 101% inputs,” he added.
He trashed Marak’s allegation that he was the victim of a political conspiracy. “He (Marak) is trying to hide by crying political conspiracy. We will come out with the facts when the police complete their investigation,” Tynsong said.
He said the videos of the raid by the police underlined the gravity of the charges against the BJP leader.
The deputy chief minister also said Marak should have filed an FIR if there was any threat to his life, as he claimed.
“Why did he not come forward earlier if was feeling threatened? He is politicising the raid with such allegations,” he said.
Tynsong insisted the government is not being vindictive but wants the law to take its own course.
“The police took a lot of time to gather information on this case before carrying out the raid,” he said, adding it is too early for an independent inquiry into the case.
“If there is a need, we can always institute an independent inquiry. We will decide on our next step after the police complete their investigation,” he said.
Assembly Committee summons Social Welfare dept
The Meghalaya Assembly Committee on Empowerment of Women has summoned the Social Welfare Department on August 8 to inquire into the well-being of the five minors rescued from the ‘brothel’ Marak allegedly ran in his farmhouse on the outskirts of Tura.
Chairperson of the committee, Ampareen Lyngdoh said the panel has sought to know the status of the minor victims. “It has been verified that the five minors were rescued from that location,” she said.
She said the Social Welfare officials have been asked to take necessary steps and ensure that the minors do not succumb to any pressure from the media.
She refused to comment on the raid.
“We have preliminary information that there was a rescue made. We have no further information on this matter,” she said.
“There was a raid and rescue and it is an offence in which women must rally together. It is our duty to highlight such crimes,” she added.