Accused of running brothel, Meghalaya BJP VP Bernard says 'CM Sangma directed police to gun me down’

Bernard Marak, vice president of the Meghalaya BJP, has accused Chief Minister Conrad Sangma of ordering the police to shoot him.

“Conrad Sangma has directed the police to file a case against me and to gun me down,” Bernard Marak said.

“I had information that there is a possibility that I will be gunned down… Then I had to move out of Shillong and come to Guwahati,” Marak said.

The Meghalaya BJP VP further said that he is “not absconding” and “not trying to evade arrest”.

“I am just trying to be safe and bring out the truth in front of the public,” the Meghalaya BJP vice president said in a video message.

Notably, Meghalaya police has claimed that the farmhouse of state BJP vice president Bernard Marak’s farmhouse at Tura in West Garo Hills district was used as a brothel.

The raid was made in connection with the disappearance of a minor girl in February this year.

A total of 68 people, including 24 girls, have been taken into custody by the Meghalaya police following the raid.

The police also rescued five children – four boys and a girl – who were kept under lock and key in unhygienic conditions. 

The police also seized at least 500 packets of contraceptives (condoms) from the farmhouse.

Notably, Bernard Marak was the former chairman of a disbanded militant group and had more than 25 criminal cases against him since the early 2000s.

Terming the allegations as fabricated Marak said: “Chief minister Conrad Sangma has made things very personal by asking the police department to link yesterday’s raid with some POCSO case in February.”

“Why should that case be linked to yesterday’s raid now? A pre meditated raid was conducted in my private farm house and later at my mom’s house and all allegations are targeted to arrest me with fabricated allegations,” he added.