Meghalaya BJP demands sacking of DC, SP of West Garo Hills to ensure fair trail for Bernard Marak

Days after Meghalaya BJP Vice President Bernard Marak was detained in Uttar Pradesh, State president Ernest Mawrie reached the Governor's residence to request a "free and fair trial" by removing the Deputy Commissioner and the police superintendent of West Garo Hills district where the investigations are taking place. Mawrie told media that he is set to visit Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma later in the day to make the same set of demands.

Mawrie informed media persons that he had requested Governor Satya Pal Malik for an independent judicial inquiry into the case against MDC Bernard Marak.

The Governor, Mawrie said, has assured the BJP president that it will be looked into and "will even talk to the government about the issue."

Asked if the party believes in Marak's "innocence", Mawrie said: "The matter is sub-judice and in the hands of the Court. Therefore, we would not like to make any comments at the present moment."

Since Marak, who has been accused of running a brothel in Tura town, was arrested in UP, the BJP state unit in Meghalaya has been holding protests and demonstrations seeking a "fair trial" and the removal of the DC and SP of West Garo Hills with allegations that they are "biased."

On one hand, the BJP has alleged discrimination as it was "gaining ground in the West Garo Hills district." Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, however, says that his National People's Party's alliance with the BJP will remain unaffected despite the fracas as he believes it is just a one-off episode.

Marak, an insurgent-turned-politician, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police in the Hapur district on Tuesday. The Meghalaya Police have accused him of turning his farmhouse on the outskirts of Tura town into a brothel.

The BJP leader was absconding since the police raided his farmhouse on July 23. Six children were rescued and 73 persons were arrested following the raid.

Later, police found explosives and traditional weapons in the same farmhouse.