SHILLONG, Jan 7 - A joint Meghalaya-Assam police team on Friday night arrested Mawhati MLA, Julius Dorphang from Guwahati. He was later remanded to five days police custody by a Court here today in an alleged sexual assault case.
The MLA managed to give Meghalaya police the slip for the past eleven days and looked attempting to flee from Guwahati, but was nabbed from the Inter State Bus Terminus at Gorchuck at about 11.30 pm last night.
�After getting specific intelligence inputs, a team from here went to Guwahati and together with the assistance of Guwahati police, we managed to nab him (Dorphang) at the ISBT at Gorchuck,� Vivek Syiem, (City) Superintendent of Police, said.
He was brought to the State Capital here and later this afternoon, Dorphang was produced in the Court of the Additional District Magistrate, B Kharumnuid under heavy security cover. The former militant was remanded to police custody for five days as prayed by the police investigating team.
Dorphang did not speak to the waiting media personnel as he was rushed to the Court by the security personnel with his face covered with a shawl. After being produced in the Court he was again rushed into a police vehicle.
The case against the militant-turned MLA (2013), who floated the HNLC as its chairman in 1993, was registered at the Laitumkhrah police station. The FIR was filed by the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) on December 24.
He was booked under section 366 (A) of the Indian Penal Code read with section 3 (a)/9 of Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and under section 5 of Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA).
The police searched for the MLA at his residence and all the probable locations, but couldn�t find him. The search was widened to Guwahati and other Northeastern States.
As the former HNLC chairman has ties with other militant outfits in Assam, like the ULFA, sources said, the police went to look for him at Anup Chetia�s office at Hatigaon and also inquired from Chetia about Dorphang.
The sources added, although Dorphang was not found at Chetia�s office nor could Chetia throw any light on the MLA�s whereabouts, the police, nonetheless, got inputs that he was trying to get out of the region. So, possible exit routes of escape, from Railway station, Airport and Bus Terminus were put under surveillance.
�He (Dorphang) did not resist arrest nor was there anyone with him. We did not find anything in his possession,� Syiem added.
The police, meanwhile, have prayed before the Court that section 5(c)/6 of POCSO be additionally slapped against Dorphang. Section 5(c)/6 relates to aggravated sexual assault of a minor by a public servant.
52-year-old Dorphang was booked for his alleged role in the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl on at least two occasions. The victim has recorded her statement before the police that she was exploited by the MLA at a guest house at Motinagar and at Umiam.
The victim�s statement that she was also taken to a guest house run by Home Minister, HDR Lyngdoh�s family has also turned the spotlight on the Home Minister. Several women�s organisations are demanding that Lyngdoh resign from his post to ensure a free and fair probe into the case.
Meanwhile, Syiem said that �more arrests would be made in the coming days� as the police have evidence of the involvement of others in the case. He also said the chargesheet against Dorphang would be filed soon.
