A court in Meghalaya Friday granted bail to state Minister Deborah Ch. Marak, who was charge sheeted for "hatching criminal conspiracy" with a terrorist outfit in order to win the February 2013 assembly election.
"The court has regularised the appearance of my client (Deborah) by grant of bail with a surety of Rs.1 lakh," Deborah's legal counsel Kaustav Paul told IANS.
Moreover, he said the court of chief judicial magistrate F.S. Sangma exempted the social welfare minister's personal appearance at every hearing.
He said the court has fixed the next hearing Nov 26.
This is for the first time in the political history of Meghalaya that a minister is facing trial for politician-militant nexus.
Meghalaya Police Nov 3 filed a charge sheet against the minister and former Congress leader Tennydard Marak for "hatching a criminal conspiracy" with Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) to win the assembly election.
The Court also granted bail to Tennydard Marak.