Shillong: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has recommended payment of compensation to victims of alleged rights violations linked to a controversial police raid conducted at Rimpu Bagan in West Garo Hills nearly four years ago.
In its order, the Commission directed the Home (Police) Department to pay Rs. 50,000 each to 15 complainants whose cases were found to merit compensation.
The recommendation follows complaints arising out of a police operation carried out on July 22, 2022, at Rimpu Bagan, a farmhouse located in the Edenbari area of Tura.
Originally, 30 complaints were filed before the Commission in connection with the raid, but half of them were later withdrawn, leaving 15 cases that were examined on merit.
The police raid targeted the 30-room farmhouse owned by Bernard N. Marak, vice-president of the BJP’s Meghalaya unit, with authorities alleging that the premises was being operated as a brothel.
The operation began on the evening of July 22 and continued into the following morning, with a subsequent search conducted on July 28.
During the raid, police claimed to have rescued five or six minors from rooms described as unhygienic and locked from the outside.
A total of 73 people, including men and women, were detained, some of whom were reportedly found consuming alcohol and, in certain cases, without proper clothing. Police also seized large quantities of liquor, condoms, vehicles and mobile phones from the premises.
In a later search, authorities reported the recovery of explosive materials, including gelatin sticks and detonators, as well as weapons such as crossbows and arrows from what was described as a concealed chamber within the property.
ALSO READ: ‘Save Manipur’ rally in Imphal calls for unity, rejects any division of state
Marak initially remained absconding but was arrested on July 26, 2022, in Uttar Pradesh after a nationwide lookout notice was issued.
He was booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act, and was also investigated under provisions of the POCSO Act in connection with an earlier case.
In October 2022, the Meghalaya High Court granted Marak conditional bail, observing that available materials were insufficient to conclusively establish that the farmhouse was being run as a brothel.
Marak and the BJP have consistently denied the allegations, terming the raid a politically motivated act allegedly driven by the state government.
The MHRC’s compensation recommendation now adds a fresh dimension to the case, reviving scrutiny of the conduct of the police operation and its aftermath.
