A Shillong court on Thursday sent arrested Meghalaya MlA Julius Dorphang for 14 days’ judicial custody. The rebel-turned- politician, Dorphang had raped a 14-year-old girl in a guest house in December. The victim, who had filed an FIR on December 16, had accused at least eight people of sexually exploiting her.
The independent legislator, had gone into hiding after the FIR was filed by the victim and he was arrested from the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Guwahati only last week and taken into police custody.
“The accused had admitted his involvement in the sexual assault to the girl. He is cooperating with us and there is no need for further interrogation. His police custody ended today and so we produced him in the court today and the court remanded him in 14 days judicial custody,” said Superintendent of Police Shillong (City) Vivek Syiem on Thursday said.
It may be mentioned here that the Meghalaya capital had witnessed noisy protests in the past few days over the issue of sexual assault to the minor girl and demanding exemplary punishment to those involved in the crime. Some NGOs and social organisation had also accused the police of trying to shield the independent MlA and protested opposing bail to the arrested legislator.
Dorphang is the founder-chairman of banned rebel outfit Hynniewtrep National liberation Council (HNlC). He surrendered and came over ground in 2007 following differences with other leaders of the outfit.