The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home) after the CBI alleged the state government was not cooperating with its preliminary enquiry into the award of public works contracts to firms allegedly linked to the family members of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed both officers to remain present before the court on August 24 along with their replies to the CBI's status report and explain the alleged non-cooperation.
The direction came after the bench perused the CBI's status report filed on July 17.
Appearing for the CBI, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj sought more time to complete the enquiry, saying the state authorities were not cooperating with the agency.
"We will call the chief secretary," the bench observed, adding that if there was non-cooperation, it questioned why a "long rope" was being given.
Referring to the CBI's status report, the bench noted that the agency had flagged certain discrepancies and asked, "Why do you need anything more for registering a RC (regular case)."
The court observed that the CBI had sought records from the state authorities which had not been provided.
"We have perused the status report given by the CBI dated July 17, 2026. A perusal of the same reflects that there is non-cooperation at the end of the state government in providing the necessary records...," the bench said.
Issuing notices to the two senior officials, the court directed, "Both the aforesaid officers shall remain present before this court along with their responses to the aforesaid report of CBI and also explain why there is non-cooperation and non-compliance of the order of this court."
On April 6, the apex court had directed the CBI to register a preliminary enquiry within two weeks into allegations that public works contracts in Arunachal Pradesh were preferentially awarded to firms allegedly owned by or linked to Khandu's family members.
It had also directed the state government and its departments to fully cooperate with the probe.
In its April 6 verdict, the court had observed that the state and its instrumentalities cannot confer benefits according to the "whims of any political or administrative functionary" and held that the matter warranted an "independent investigation."
"Accordingly, we deem it appropriate that CBI shall register a preliminary enquiry forthwith and shall conduct a time-bound investigation into the award and execution of the public works contracts and work orders which form the subject matter of this writ petition and the affidavits filed in these proceedings," it had said.
The court was hearing a petition filed by NGOs Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the alleged irregularities.
During the proceedings, the petitioners claimed that government contracts and work orders worth around Rs 1,270 crore were awarded over the last decade to four firms allegedly linked to Khandu's family members.
The April 6 judgment directed that the preliminary enquiry and any consequential investigation cover the award and execution of public works contracts and work orders in Arunachal Pradesh between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2025.
(With inputs from PTI)
