SC asks Centre to respond in 3 weeks on PIL alleging Arunachal CM awarded contracts to kin

The Supreme Court directed the Centre to file a reply within three weeks to a PIL claiming Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu awarded government contracts to family members.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to file its response within three weeks to a PIL alleging that Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu awarded government contracts to his family members.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued the order after being informed that the state government had already filed its affidavit in compliance with the apex court's March 18 directive.

The petition was filed by NGOs Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Senaa, seeking a CBI or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the allegations against Khandu.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner Save Mon Region Federation, argued that the State of Arunachal Pradesh was being run like a private enterprise by the Chief Minister. He claimed the Union of India, specifically the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Finance, had been directed to file a detailed affidavit, but no response had been submitted so far.

“In fact, their affidavit should not only respond to the petition but also address the state government’s affidavit and the report of the CAG,” Bhushan said.

He further alleged that all the contracts had been awarded to the Chief Minister’s wife’s company and his cousins’ company. “It is a shocking state of affairs. How can it be like this… Rs 100 crores have been looted,” he added.

The state government, opposing the petition, argued that the plea was an abuse of the legal process and sought its dismissal.