Jailed Meghalaya BJP Leader Bernard N Marak Granted Bail

Guwahati: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Meghalaya, Bernard N Marak was given bail on Monday in relation to an alleged rape of a young girl at his farmhouse in the state’s West Garo Hills area.

Justice W. Diengdoh of the Meghalaya High Court presided over a single-judge bench and noted that there was no direct evidence connecting Marak to the sexual assault of the three-year-old child. The judge released the BJP state vice-president on bail after observing that he had been held on “extremely thin grounds.”

It should be noted that Marak had previously been granted bail in a case involving the operation of a brothel out of his home and the seizure of weapons and ammunition from the location.

Marak must provide a personal bond of Rs 30,000 and two sureties in the same amount before bail would be granted, according to a court order.

The court further ordered him to appear before investigative officers as and when required and warned him not to attempt to obstruct the investigation or tamper with any evidence or leave the country.

The accused was not arrested at the time of the raid on the victim’s farmhouse, and the idea that he might be considered an offender just because he owned the property is “very far-fetched,” the court stated during the hearing on his bail request, which was made by Marak’s brother Tingku N Marak.

The court’s order stated, “On consideration of the facts and circumstances involving the case of the accused brother of the petitioner, keeping in mind the value of liberty of a person who is confined in custody on very flimsy grounds, this court is of the opinion that the instant petition has some merits.”

Meghalaya BJP vice-president Bernard N Marak was captured on July 26 in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, after fleeing when his home was raided and a “sex racket” was uncovered there. 25 minors had been saved by authorities, and 73 people had been taken into custody.

The minor girl was one of those saved, and it was discovered during her medical checkup that she had experienced sexual abuse. As the case was looked into further, the name of the BJP leaders came up.

However, the medical evaluation had shown that her history of sexual abuse was not recent. She has been residing at a children’s residential facility since the event.

Marak was transferred to court custody where he has been held for the past three months after spending a month in police custody.

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