SHILLONG, Aug 4: The BJP had demanded an independent probe into party state vice president Bernard Marak’s case but Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday ruled it out.
“There is no question of any independent probe. Investigations are going on and facts are coming out. So, I don’t think there is any reason for an independent probe,” Sangma said.
After staging a protest in front of party office here on Monday, state BJP leaders had met Governor Satya Pal Malik and demanded the removal of West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Swapnil Tembe and Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Singh Rathore for a free and fair probe.
State BJP president Ernest Mawrie had told reporters Malik stated an independent inquiry would be commissioned. However, the Governor on Tuesday clarified he had not given any assurance in this regard. The BJP leaders had lodged a complaint with Malik alleging that party workers were being harassed since Marak’s arrest which was a clear case of “political vendetta”.
Mawrie had also said that they would meet the CM to press for an independent inquiry into events leading to Marak’s case. He was arrested by the police for allegedly running a “brothel” from his farmhouse on the outskirts of Tura.
After returning from a trip to London, BJP National Executive member Alexander Laloo Hek on Thursday condemned the alleged harassment of party leaders and workers from Garo Hills by the police. He asked what crime they had committed that they were subjected to harassment by the police.
He said he had read in media reports how party leaders and workers were summoned by the police. It is totally unacceptable to keep them waiting for eight to nine hours at the police station, he said. “Not only this, many of them were summoned again, some on the next day. We will not tolerate this kind of harassment to our party leaders and workers,” Hek said.
He said there should be some justification if the police have to summon someone for questioning. He refused to comment on Marak’s case as the police investigation is on.
“Let the law take its own course of action. Let the investigation continue,” Hek said.
Earlier, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had refuted the BJP’s charges of harassment.
