In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to initiate a preliminary enquiry into the award of public works contracts in Arunachal Pradesh. The probe concerns firms allegedly linked to family members of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, bringing renewed focus on transparency in government tendering processes.

The top court has given the CBI two weeks to register the preliminary enquiry, which will examine contracts, tenders, and work orders issued between January 2015 and December 2025. Additionally, the agency has been instructed to submit a status report within 16 weeks, indicating the seriousness with which the court is treating the allegations.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N. V. Anjaria also directed the state government to extend full cooperation to investigators. The Chief Secretary has been asked to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with the CBI, while the court explicitly ordered that no records related to the case be destroyed.

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The case stems from petitions filed by the Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena. The petitioners allege that contracts worth approximately ₹1,245 crore, along with additional work orders worth ₹25 crore, were awarded to firms associated with the Chief Minister’s family, including his wife, mother, and nephew.

Among the entities named in the allegations are M/s Brand Eagles, reportedly linked to the Chief Minister’s wife, and M/s Alliance Trading Co, owned by his nephew Tsering Tashi. The petitioners have argued that these contracts were awarded without due process, raising concerns about fairness and potential conflict of interest in public procurement.

The state government, however, has strongly denied the allegations, calling the case “sponsored litigation” and defending its procedures. It has maintained that all contracts were awarded in accordance with established norms. The Supreme Court had earlier, in December last year, sought detailed affidavits from the state regarding contracts awarded over the past decade, setting the stage for the current order.

With the CBI now stepping in, the case is expected to undergo closer scrutiny, potentially setting an important precedent on accountability and governance in public contracting.

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