Meghalaya Lawmaker Accused Of Raping Minor Girl Arrested In Guwahati

Shillong:  A lawmaker in Meghalaya, missing since his name emerged in the rape of a 14-year-old girl, was arrested in Guwahati on Saturday morning.

Independent legislator Julius K. Dorhphang was arrested from Garchuk in Guwahati in a joint operation by Meghalaya and Assam police. He had been missing since Wednesday.

Mr Dorhphang, a former rebel leader of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, went into hiding after police registered a rape case against him.

On Wednesday, a local court issued a non-bailable warrant against Mr Dorphang after he failed to appear before the police.

The lawmaker has been charged under a stringent law on crimes against children. 

The scandal surfaced after an employee of a guest house owned by senior Congress leader and state Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh’s son was arrested for pimping the teen last month.

The rape survivor was rescued from near the guest house and brought to the police station, where she named eight people. Five of the accused, including four women, have been arrested.

Activists here have demanded that the Chief Minister drop Mr Lyngdoh from his cabinet to allow a free and fair trial.