Supreme Court Seeks Government Response on Alleged Contract Favors in Arunachal Pradesh

The Supreme Court has provided the Central government with a three-week deadline to address accusations concerning public works contracts in Arunachal Pradesh allegedly being directed to companies associated with Chief Minister Pema Khandu's relatives. The directive was issued by a bench consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, who have scheduled a follow-up hearing in three weeks.

This development follows a March request by the apex court for the Union Ministries of Finance and Home Affairs to report on the allegations, emphasizing the gravity of the claims. Additionally, the court called on Arunachal Pradesh and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to submit their findings.

The court's order stressed the necessity for a comprehensive affidavit from the state of Arunachal Pradesh, detailing the parties involved in the contracts, especially those tied to respondents 4 through 6. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance and Home Affairs, along with CAG, were tasked with providing contract-specific details and the identities of awardees. This case stems from a PIL calling for a CBI or SIT investigation into these matters, emphasizing the perceived conflict of interest tied to Chief Minister Khandu's family.

(With inputs from agencies.)