SC seeks Arunachal govt’s response on PIL alleging CM Khandu awarded contracts to family

The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Arunachal Pradesh government, the Union Home and Finance Ministries, and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) over allegations that Chief Minister Pema Khandu awarded government contracts to his family members. 

The court has directed the state government to furnish details on whether due process was followed and to provide a list of beneficiaries.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan issued the directive while hearing a PIL filed by NGOs Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Senaa. 

The plea alleges that government contracts in the state were being monopolized by the CM’s close family members, including his wife and nephew.

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During the hearing, CJI Khanna emphasized the need for transparency, stating, “We must have a clear-cut answer on who received these contracts and whether proper tendering procedures were followed.” 

The court has sought a comprehensive affidavit from the state government and a final status report from the CAG, considering the ethical guidelines for lawmakers in awarding government contracts.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners, called the situation “shocking”, alleging that Arunachal Pradesh was being run “like a private limited company” and that contracts worth hundreds of crores had been given to the CM’s wife and relatives. The state government, however, dismissed the PIL as “politically motivated” and an “abuse of legal process.”

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for the week following July 21.