In a big ruling, the Supreme Court of India agreed to look into a complaint that Arunachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Pema Khandu, gave contracts to his family members. The court asked the state government to share information about who got these contracts and whether the right steps were followed in giving them out.
A group of NGOs, Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Senaa, filed this complaint. They argue that many government contracts were awarded to the Chief Minister’s close family. The Supreme Court wants to know if any contracts were given directly to Pema Khandu himself, as he is involved in this case too.
The Chief Justice, Sanjiv Khanna, along with Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan, told the government to also give details about contracts awarded to other family members. The court stressed the need for clear answers from the Finance Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry, and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India regarding the contracts.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGOs, said the situation is alarming, comparing the state’s operation to a private company. He claimed that contracts were awarded to companies owned by Khandu’s wife and cousins. The state government, however, defended itself, saying the complaint misuses legal processes and is politically motivated.
Bhushan argued that hundreds of crores of public money were at stake. He noted that past notices were issued to various parties on this issue without much progress. The NGOs’ complaint highlighted that a firm owned by Khandu’s family received numerous contracts, suggesting possible favoritism.
The Supreme Court wants a detailed report on who was awarded these contracts and if proper procedures were followed. The case will be revisited around July 21. This situation raises important questions about fairness and transparency in awarding government contracts.
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