New Delhi: BJP's Meghalaya vice-president Bernard N Marak, accused of running a prostitution racket, and had been on the run since Saturday, was arrested on Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh, officials confirmed.
"Bernard N Marak alias Rimpu has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh. A team is being sent there to bring him to Tura," West Garo Hills District Superintendent of Police Vivekanand Singh told news agency PTI.
Marak had been on the run after six minors were rescued and 73 people arrested from his farmhouse 'Rimpu Bagan' during a raid on Saturday. Police said Marak was asked to cooperate in the probe but is evading the investigators.
The arrest came hours after Meghalaya Police put out a lookout notice for the BJP leader.
Yesterday, a Tura court issued a non-bailable warrant against the BJP leader.
Five children, locked up at a resort in Tura owned by Marak, were rescued on Saturday, the police said. Claiming that a "brothel" was being operated from the place, they said the raid also led to the detention of 47 young men and 26 women -- many of them found unclothed and drunk.
The police recovered a huge amount of liquor, around 500 packets of contraceptives, cellphones, and incriminating documents, said state police chief LR Bishnoi.
Marak has claimed he was innocent and alleged he is the target of a "political conspiracy" by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and fears for his life.
The state BJP also backed his claim.