ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has vehemently refuted recent allegations of corruption levelled against him and his family, labeling them as “fake” and “politically motivated”.
Addressing the press on the sidelines of an event in Itanagar on Friday, Khandu asserted that these allegations have a decade-long history, dating back to 2010, and have been previously addressed in the Gauhati High Court.
“These allegations aren’t new; they have been in courts since 2010, and today, it’s 2024. In 2010, we had won the case in Gauhati High Court. So, I believe these are politically motivated moves,” stated Chief Minister Khandu, dismissing the claims.
Speaking about the recent notice issued by the Supreme Court to the Arunachal government regarding the allegations, Khandu viewed it as an opportunity to conclusively settle the matter.
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“I tried to dispose of the case in 2010 in the Supreme Court, but couldn’t as there were a lot of cases. But thankfully, the issue has come up again and is in fast track. Hopefully, we’ll be able to dispose of it this time,” expressed Khandu, exuding confidence.
On January 29, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Centre, the Arunachal government, and others following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the award of contracts for public works to companies owned by Chief Minister Khandu’s family members.
“These are all fake allegations,” reiterated Khandu, dismissing the accusations.
The petition in the apex court had urged an investigation into the alleged partiality in awarding key tenders and contracts to close associates of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
Notably, the construction company “M/s Brand Eagles”, owned by the CM’s spouse, and work contracts awarded to Pema Khandu’s nephew, Tsering Tashi, came under scrutiny.
Taking note of the petition’s contentions, the Supreme Court had issued notice with liberty to serve the standing counsel of the State of Arunachal Pradesh.
