The Supreme Court has ordered a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in government contracts worth around Rs. 1,270 crore in Arunachal Pradesh, following a public interest litigation filed by the Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena.
The directive was issued on Monday by a Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice NV Anjariya. The case involves allegations that companies linked to Chief Minister Pema Khandu's family were awarded multiple government tenders over nearly a decade.
Court orders probe into contracts
According to the petition, between 2015 and 2025, several public works and government projects were allegedly awarded to firms associated with the Chief Minister's wife, mother, and nephew. The total value of these contracts is estimated between Rs. 1,260 crore and Rs. 1,270 crore.
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The Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to examine the award of tenders, project implementation, and allocation of funds. It clarified that the agency is not restricted to a fixed time period and may investigate beyond these years if required.
The Bench also issued specific timelines. The CBI must begin a preliminary inquiry within two weeks and submit its report to the Court within 16 weeks. It added that a full investigation may be conducted if necessary.
Allegations and response
Petitioners, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, argued that awarding contracts of such scale to relatives raises serious concerns about transparency and fairness, and requires an independent probe.
The Court also directed the Arunachal Pradesh government to cooperate fully and provide all relevant documents to the investigating agency.
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Responding to the allegations, the state government denied any wrongdoing. It termed the case "sponsored litigation" and maintained that all contracts were awarded following due process.
The order has triggered political debate, with questions being raised over transparency and possible nepotism in the allocation of government projects.
The CBI probe is expected to examine whether any irregularities or violations occurred in the awarding of these contracts.
