Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], May 5 (HBTV): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has denied any wrongdoing after the Supreme Court of India directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to initiate a preliminary inquiry into alleged corruption in public works contracts linked to his family members.
‘I am innocent,’ Khandu said, responding to the order for a CBI preliminary enquiry. ‘My government will cooperate in every possible way to find out the facts,’ he added.
The inquiry was ordered following allegations that several public works contracts in Arunachal Pradesh were awarded to firms associated with Khandu’s family members between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2025. The apex court has directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry and submit a status report within 16 weeks.
Responding to a three-day sit-in protest in Itanagar led by Byabang Joram, President of Arunachal Civil Society, demanding his resignation to ensure a fair investigation, Khandu reiterated his stance on democratic rights. ‘It is healthy to raise a voice in democracy as it is our fundamental right, but it should be done with ethics and non-violence,’ he said.
The chief minister also stated that he had not engaged personal legal representation in earlier proceedings related to the matter. ‘Two years ago, when this matter came before the Supreme Court, I did not deploy any personal advocate; I was confident that I am not guilty,’ he said.
Khandu further asserted that his government has consistently worked to eliminate corruption in the state. ‘For the last ten years, I have been pressing to root out corruption from the state, and several reforms and developments in Arunachal Pradesh stand as evidence that my government is clean and for the people,’ he added.
Welcoming the probe, he described the allegations as politically motivated and reiterated full cooperation with investigators. ‘We welcome the CBI preliminary enquiry by the Supreme Court, and our government will fully cooperate with the officials of the CBI to conduct and trace out the truth, which is politically motivated,’ he said.
The court’s intervention followed a petition filed by the Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena, seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the alleged corruption. The petition alleged that multiple government contracts were awarded to firms linked to Khandu’s family, raising concerns over a possible conflict of interest.
The inquiry will examine whether contracts were unfairly directed to companies linked to his family members, including his father, former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu’s second wife Rinchin Drema, and his nephew Tsering Tashi.
Dorjee Khandu died in a helicopter crash in 2011 while serving as Chief Minister. The petition further alleged that Rinchin Drema’s firm, Brand Eagles, received a significant number of government contracts despite an apparent conflict of interest.
The PIL stated that if government contracts were consistently awarded to firms linked to the Chief Minister’s family and close associates, it could indicate that such decisions were made with the knowledge and support of the minister concerned.
(ANI)