SC Reserves Order on Plea for CBI Probe Into Arunachal Contracts Probe Case
The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on a plea seeking a CBI probe into public works contracts allegedly awarded to firms linked to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s family.
NEW DELHI- The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its order on a public interest litigation seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged award of public works contracts worth around ₹1,270 crore to firms linked to the family members of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria concluded the hearing and granted two weeks’ time to all parties to submit written arguments before delivering its verdict.
The plea was filed by NGOs Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, who argued that four firms allegedly connected to the Chief Minister’s relatives were awarded contracts and work orders valued at about ₹1,270 crore over the past decade.
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According to the petitioners, works worth approximately ₹1,245 crore were allotted through tenders, with an additional ₹25 crore issued as work orders.
During the hearing, the petitioners claimed that the contracts constituted roughly three per cent of the total government work awarded in the state during the period and sought an independent investigation, arguing that a state-level probe may not be impartial.
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The Arunachal Pradesh government, however, opposed the plea, with counsel describing it as a “sponsored litigation” and defending the processes followed in awarding contracts.
The matter has been under judicial scrutiny for several months. In December last year, the apex court directed the state government to submit a comprehensive affidavit detailing contracts awarded between 2015 and 2025, including those linked to the Chief Minister’s relatives.
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Legal observers say the case raises broader questions about transparency in public procurement, potential conflict of interest and the threshold required for court-monitored investigations by central agencies.
While the Supreme Court has not yet ordered any probe, its forthcoming decision is expected to clarify the legal standards governing such allegations involving elected public officials.
