Itanagar, March 4, 2026:
Social activist Sol Dodum on Wednesday urged Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu to terminate Takam Kechak, the former District Land Revenue and Settlement Officer (DLRSO) of East Kameng district, who was arrested in connection with the alleged Lada–Sarli Frontier Highway land compensation scam.
Addressing media persons at the Arunachal Press Club (APC), Dodum said that although Kechak was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the state government has not yet issued any order terminating him from service. He criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party–led government under Chief Minister Khandu, alleging that there has been a lack of decisive action in the matter.
Dodum also raised questions over the absence of action against former East Kameng Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Gupta, stating that despite a re-verification report being submitted to the state government, no concrete steps have been taken so far.
He said the government’s silence on the matter has triggered public concern over the possible involvement of authorities in the alleged misuse of funds meant for the highway project. Dodum maintained that if the government had no connection to the alleged irregularities, stronger action would likely have been taken by now.
Referring to the arrest of Kechak on December 17 last year, Dodum said the ACB had at the time assured that strict action would be taken against everyone involved in the scam. However, he claimed that the progress of the investigation has not been clearly visible to the public since then.
Calling on the chief minister to uphold the government’s policy of “zero tolerance against corruption,” Dodum said people are closely monitoring how the case unfolds and how long it will take for those allegedly involved to face legal consequences.
He further alleged that although the ACB has examined the bank accounts of several suspected individuals, the funds believed to have been misappropriated in the case are yet to be recovered.
Meanwhile, several officials had earlier been suspended in connection with the case, including Divisional Forest Officer Abhinav Kumar, District Agriculture Officer M Perme, and District Horticulture Officer CK Tayum, along with the DLRSO.
The ACB had also arrested three private individuals Rajo Gyadi, Khya Byagang, and Yayo Yangfo, for their alleged involvement in the execution of the alleged scam.
