The Supreme Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe allegations against Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu of favoring firms run by his family members in the allotment of government contracts over the past decade.
A bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath ordered the CBI to register a preliminary enquiry (PE) within two weeks, covering the award of public works from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2025.
The court gave the CBI a free hand to examine all allegations, including the beneficial ownership of firms linked to Khandu and the flow of funds in these firms.
The PIL alleged that these firms were enriched by thousands of crores of rupees by the award of contracts.
The court directed the CBI to submit a status report after four months and asked the state chief secretary to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with the CBI and provide all necessary documents required for the investigation.
