The Supreme Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a fresh status report concerning its preliminary inquiry into allegations of preferential contract allocations. The probe centers around public works contracts awarded to firms allegedly connected to family members of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
State Compliance and Document Submission
During the hearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, the Arunachal Pradesh government stated that it has complied with previous judicial instructions by transferring necessary records and documents to the central probe agency. Earlier, the CBI had filed a status report highlighting issues regarding document access and state cooperation.
Representing the state, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home), were present to confirm that directives had been followed. In response to submissions regarding the massive volume of records handed over—including extensive files covering multiple public works—the apex court instructed the CBI to verify the receipt of all materials and present an updated status report.
Background of the Judicial Inquiry
The legal proceedings stem from public interest litigation filed by petitioner NGOs, which alleged irregularities and nepotism in the distribution of government contracts and work orders over a ten-year period. While the petitioners, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, questioned whether the material gathered thus far warrants a regular criminal case, the bench emphasized that the scope and evaluation of the preliminary inquiry remain under the purview of the investigating agency.
The Supreme Court has granted the state two weeks to formally place its stance on record, with the fresh CBI status report expected to clarify the progress of the investigation and the status of the reviewed documents.