SHILLONG:
The Meghalaya High Court has directed the state to provide details of the pending cases registered against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Tura MDC Bernard N Marak.
While hearing a petition filed by Marak’s wife LK Gracy on October 28, the single bench allowed the AAG, ND Chullai, to obtain specific instructions on the matter.
“The prayer is allowed, the state respondents are directed to provide specific instructions and details of the cases where the petitioner’s husband has been implicated, and stated to be involved on the next date,” the bench said.
“It is also provided that nothing shall prevent the state respondents from disclosing the details of pending cases to the petitioner,” it added. The next hearing will be held on November 9.
Gracy in her petition said that her husband who is presently in the custody of the state has been subject to several criminal proceedings, and in spite of obtaining bail in five cases, is being implicated in further cases wherein his involvement is not known.
AM Bora, senior counsel assisted by BK Baidya, counsel for the petitioner, informed that the action of the respondents has deprived the petitioner of his legal rights, as after being released in one case, has been arrested in another.
On October 1, the Meghalaya High Court had granted conditional bail to Bernard Marak, who had been arrested for allegedly running a brothel in his private farm house in West Garo Hills District.
“…this application is allowed, the accused person, Bernard N Marak is hereby directed to be released on bail, if not wanted in some other cases, provided the following conditions are complied with: That he shall not abscond or tamper with the evidence; That he shall not leave the jurisdiction of India without the prior permission of the I/O or the Court; That he shall cooperate with the investigation as and when required; and That he shall furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 along with two solvent sureties of like amount to the satisfaction of the competent court,” the court had said in its order.
On July 26, Bernard N Marak was arrested from Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh, after he allegedly absconded following a sex racket being busted at his private farm house which led to the rescue of five minors and arrest of 73 persons.
West Garo Hills Police also claimed to have seized liquors and unused contraceptives.
A case under sections of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956 was registered against him at the Tura women police station.
While disposing of the bail application, the court had also observed that an allegation, though serious in nature, has been made against the accused person, amongst others.
The fact that the accused person is the owner of the property in question which is the place of occurrence (PO) is not disputed.