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The Supreme Court on Monday granted three weeks to the Central government to file its response on the allegation that various contracts of the public works in Arunachal Pradesh were awarded to firms linked to Chief Minister Pema Khandu's family members.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, while seeking a response from the Centre, posted the matter for hearing after three weeks. In March, the top court had asked the Union Ministries of Finance and Home Affairs to file a report on the allegation and asked the ministries to come clear on the allegations, as it took a serious view of the allegation. It had also asked Arunachal Pradesh and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to file a report on the allegations as well. In its order, the bench had said, "We need a detailed affidavit from the state of Arunachal Pradesh furnishing details of parties to whom the contract was awarded and with reference to the contract mentioned in the plea. In addition, the reply shall entail contracts awarded to respondents 4 to 6. Ministry of Finance and Home Affairs to file a detailed affidavit, and CAG is also directed to submit contract-wise details and the persons to whom it was awarded." The top court was hearing a PIL seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the award of contracts for public works to firms owned by family members of Chief Minister Pema Khandu. The plea was filed in the top court by NGOs Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena. Pema Khandu's father, Dorjee Khandu's second wife, Rinchin Drema, and his nephew, Tsering Tashi, have also been made parties in the case. In a helicopter crash in 2011, Dorjee Khandu died when he was the Chief Minister. Rinchin Drema's firm, Brand Eagles, has been awarded a large number of government contracts despite there being a clear conflict of interest, the petitioner claimed. The PIL claimed that when there is evidence of government contracts being awarded only to the firms of family members of the Chief Minister and his close associates, then it is reasonable to draw an inference that such favour for government contract works of vast magnitude could not have been possible without direct knowledge, consent, and active support of the minister concerned. The petition stated, "The Minister of this department was Dorjee Khandu, also former CM, till 2011, and then the charge was taken up by his son Pema Khandu, now present Chief Minister. It is a serious cause of concern in view of so many work orders executed by a few selective firms belonging to the Minister himself and his family members." (ANI)
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