SHILLONG, Aug 2: The Governor of Meghalaya, Satya Pal Malik, on Tuesday, clarified that he has not given any assurance to State BJP president Ernest Mawrie of instituting an independent inquiry on the case related to BJP vice president Bernard Marak.
Marak, who is also the GHADC MDC from Tura, was recently arrested after it was found that his farmhouse in Edenbari on the outskirts of Tura, West Garo Hills, was allegedly used as a ‘brothel’ and for other immoral activities.
On Monday, after meeting the Governor here, the State BJP president had said that Malik said an independent inquiry would be commissioned on the matter.
Mawrie had also submitted a memorandum to the Governor.
However, in a statement issued here, Deputy Secretary to the Governor, A Lakiang, said that the Governor has not given any assurance on setting up of an independent inquiry on the matter. “While interacting with Ernest Mawrie, the Governor only gave a patient hearing to the grievances raised by him. Instead, he has requested Mawrie and all concerned to cooperate with the state government on the matter,” the deputy secretary to the Governor said in the statement.
‘Apt for Governor to decide on inquiry’
Reacting to reports on the saffron party clamour for an inquiry into the case relating to Bernard Marak, Opposition Trinamool Chief Whip George B Lyngdoh, on Tuesday, said that it is apt for the Governor to decide accordingly for an independent inquiry to ensure that justice prevails and the law of the land is upheld.
“It is apt for the Governor to decide accordingly and also to ensure that justice prevails and the law of the land is above everyone and it should be upheld,” said Lyngdoh.
State BJP leaders had met Governor Malik on Monday after staging a protest in front of the party office to demand the removal of West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Swapnil Tembe and Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Singh Rathore to facilitate a free and fair probe.
“The very fact that the BJP has raised this kind of objection with the Governor perhaps this indicates some kind of thinking amongst them or a clue they have got that this investigation may not be as per the rules that has been laid down as per the laws of the land, therefore there is apprehension in the party and they approached the Governor,” he said.
Making it clear that he does not know the details of the case, the Trinamool MLA from Umroi, however, said, “I don’t know about other details, but if such kind of apprehension has come, the unanimous call would be from every right-thinking citizen or society that the entire investigation should be as per the laws of the land.”
The BJP leaders had told the Governor that the party workers were being harassed post the action against Marak, which was a “clear case of political vendetta”.
