Meghalaya BJP leader accused of running sex racket arrested from UP

Meghalaya BJP vice president Bernard N Marak, who is accused of running a sex racket at his farmhouse in the northeastern state, was arrested from Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, senior police officials said.

Marak, a former militant leader, had gone absconding following a police raid -- which started Friday night and ran till Saturday morning -- at the farmhouse at Tura in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district.

Police said they arrested 73 people from the farmhouse and rescued six minors -- four boys and two girls.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma rejected allegations by the BJP that vendetta politics was behind the arrest, saying that the police action was based on evidence.

West Garo Hills District Superintendent of Police Vivekanand Singh told PTI Tuesday, ''Bernard N Marak alias Rimpu has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh. A team is being sent there to bring him to Tura.'' Singh said Marak was arrested from Uttar Pradesh's Hapur by the police of that state hours after the authorities in Meghalaya issued a look out notice against him.

Hapur Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhuker said Marak will be taken to Tura. ''A police team from Meghalaya is coming here. He will be handed over to the Meghalaya police.'' Another senior police officer in Hapur said the district's Pilkhuwa police and Special Operations Group (SOG) took Marak into custody near a toll plaza at the Ghaziabad border upon learning that a look out notice was issued against him.

A look out notice is issued to make sure that a wanted person is not able to leave the country.

A court in Tura had on Monday issued a non-bailable warrant against the BJP leader. The BJP is a part of the state's ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), led by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma of the NPP.

The police in Meghalaya said the BJP vice president was asked to cooperate with the investigation and surrender at the Shillong Sadar Police Station but he had been evading arrest.

Marak, a militant-turned-politician, has claimed he was innocent and alleged he is the target of political vendetta by the chief minister and fears for his life.

The state BJP also backed his claim.

It is being speculated that in the Assembly elections due next year, the saffron party will field Marak against Sangma.

The CM told reporters that he did not issue any order to put the BJP vice president behind the bars. “This (arrest) has nothing to do with candidature or any individual contesting against anybody,” Sangma said.

Sangma said the police action and investigation came in the wake of statements of individuals who were sexually assaulted multiple times at the farmhouse.

“From day one, whatever happened has happened according to the procedure. At no given time had there been any interference or any suggestion from my side on what should or what should not be done regarding this particular operation,” he said.

Police earlier said they rescued the minors based on a tip-off, and seized hundreds of liquor bottles and condoms, besides dozens of cars from the farmhouse 'Rimpu Bagan'.

Marak is facing charges under various sections of the IPC and the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956. He has more than 25 criminal cases registered against him since the early 2000s across the northeastern state.

Marak was the chairman of the now disbanded armed rebel group ANVC(B), a breakaway faction of Achik National Volunteer Council, before he joined the BJP and won the tribal council elections from Tura.