TURA, July 28: Tura MDC and former chief of A’chik National Volunteer Council (breakaway faction) Bernard N Marak has been sent to police custody for a period of eight days following a marathon hearing at the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Tura on Thursday. The hearing which began at about 5:30 pm lasted till 8:30 pm after which the CJM allowed police to take custody of Marak.
A visibly tired Bernard later collapsed at the gates of the Court when he was being escorted back into the bulletproof truck leading to huge uproar from his supporters. Family members, who were presented there, objected to Bernard being taken to the police station in his current state. Police personnel however ignored the objections before taking him away for further questioning.
Family members and supporters of the MDC, who continued to wait until the end of the Court hearing, alleged that Marak had not been provided food during the entire journey from Delhi, calling the act inhumane.
“He last had a meal this morning before boarding the flight in Delhi. Ever since he was not given any food and this led to him collapsing. Are they really that insensitive that they could not feed him? This is utterly condemnable and inhumane,” they claimed.
Interestingly, additional charges were brought against the MDC, with police on Thursday recovering more arms and explosives after they broke open a locked room at Marak’s farmhouse – Rimpu Bagan.
Further a medical examination of a minor revealed a case of sexual assault, following which police filed another charge against the Tura MDC under the POCSO Act.
Marak, who was caught in Hapur in Uttar Pradesh two days ago after fleeing from the state following an arrest warrant against him by Meghalaya police, was brought by an early morning flight from New Delhi.
He landed at Guwahati at about 9:30 am before being brought to Tura by road. He reached Tura at around 3 pm and was first taken to the Tura police station before undergoing a medical examination prior to being produced in the CJM’s Court.
Earlier police had sought 14-day custody to question the MDC but the Court decided on eight days of police remand.
A raid was conducted in the premises of the Tura MDC’s Edenbari farmhouse from where a huge amount of liquor bottles, contraceptives as well other documents were found. Police also apparently rescued at least five children from the farmhouse who were later sent to the care of the District Child Protection Officer of West Garo Hills. Another 73 persons were arrested from the spot but most of them are currently out on bail.
Marak was charged with running a prostitution racket under the Immoral Activities Act and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Bernard had refused to submit himself to the police claiming that his life was in danger and he could be shot. He was later apprehended from an auto while travelling in Hapur in UP. A local court allowed a two-day transit remand to Meghalaya police to bring him back to Tura to be produced before the Court.
Meanwhile a huge number of BJP supporters sat in front of the Sessions Court in Tura to show their support for the MDC and did not budge until the end of the hearing.
