Delhi, April 6:
The Supreme Court of India on Monday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into allegations of irregular allotment of public contracts by the Arunachal Pradesh Government to firms allegedly linked to relatives of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria passed the order while hearing a petition filed by the Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Senaa.
The Court directed the CBI to submit its report within 16 weeks, indicating whether a full-fledged independent investigation is warranted. The agency has been tasked with examining contracts awarded between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2025, while retaining the liberty to extend the scope of inquiry if required.
During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners, alleged large-scale irregularities in the awarding of government contracts. According to the petition, contracts and tenders worth approximately ₹1,270 crore were awarded to firms associated with the Chief Minister’s family members, including his spouse, mother, and nephew.
The Court further directed the State Government and its departments to fully cooperate with the CBI and furnish all relevant records within four weeks. It also ordered that no documents related to the case be destroyed. Additionally, the Chief Secretary has been instructed to appoint a nodal officer within a week to coordinate with the investigating agency.
The petition raises concerns over alleged favouritism in awarding key tenders to close associates of the Chief Minister. It specifically mentions a construction firm, M/s Brand Eagles, reportedly linked to his spouse, and M/s Alliance Trading Co., owned by his nephew Tsering Tashi, which were allegedly granted contracts without due procedure.
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The petitioners had approached the apex court in 2024 seeking an independent probe by the CBI or a Special Investigation Team. The Court had issued notice to the respondents in January 2024 and later, in March 2025, sought detailed responses from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Government regarding the allocation of public work tenders.
The matter also draws parallels with a 2024 case involving former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, where the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) was asked to examine similar allegations of awarding contracts to firms linked to family members.
During earlier hearings in March last year, then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna had observed that the CAG report referred to the Code of Conduct prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which prohibits ministers from granting undue advantage to relatives upon assuming office.
