TURA, Nov 17: BJP MDC from Tura, Bernard Marak, arrested in the last week of July and having spent close to four months in Tura jail was released on the orders of the Meghalaya High Court after securing bail in cases registered against him by Tura police.

On Wednesday evening, Bernard Marak walked out of prison for the first time and was greeted by a large number of supporters and well-wishers who thronged to his home to greet him with flowers and garlands.

“I am grateful to God for constantly looking after me and today truth has triumphed,” said Bernard Marak after his release.

He said that he bore no ill-feeling against anyone and would continue on the path of bringing a change for the people of Meghalaya.

“I am a candidate of the BJP for South Tura and I will contest from there to bring a change for my people,” stated Bernard Marak as he prepares to take on Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma from that seat.

On allegations that the government tried to keep him incarcerated inside prison to stave off any possible threat to the position of the chief minister, Bernard Marak replied, “whether it was politics or otherwise, people will judge for themselves.”

Bernard was arrested and slapped with 28 cases after a police raid on his farm house in July where allegations of sexual abuse on minors, rave parties, seizure of explosives and weapons were seized.

He was arrested from Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh after a lookout notice was issued all India for absconding. He spent 333 long days in police custody.