Supreme Court Orders CBI Probe Into Contracts Linked To Arunachal CM Pema Khandu’s Kin

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to initiate a preliminary inquiry into the allegations that public works contracts in Arunachal Pradesh were awarded to firms linked to family members of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

Disposing of a writ petition, the top court ordered the CBI to begin its preliminary probe within two weeks and submit a status report within 16 weeks, indicating whether a full-fledged independent investigation is warranted.

Allegations and scale

According to the petitioners, development projects worth around Rs 1,245 crore were awarded through tenders, with an additional Rs 25 crore issued as work orders. They argued that these contracts accounted for roughly 3% of the total government work allotted in the state during the period in question.

Scope of the probe

The court directed that the preliminary inquiry and any subsequent investigation should cover:

• Execution of public works, contracts and work orders between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2025.
• Specific scrutiny of contracts awarded to respondents 4 to 6, allegedly linked to the Chief Minister’s family.
• The agency is not restricted from examining transactions outside this timeframe if required.

Directions to the state

The Bench also issued a series of binding directions to ensure the integrity of the probe:

• The Arunachal Pradesh government must fully cooperate with the CBI.
• The Chief Secretary must appoint a nodal officer for coordination.
• The state must ensure that no records are destroyed or tampered with.

The CBI’s preliminary inquiry will determine whether the allegations merit a regular case and deeper criminal investigation. The matter will come back before the Supreme Court after the agency files its status report within 16 weeks.