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Bureau Prayagraj- The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the CBI to start a preliminary inquiry within two weeks into government contracts awarded to companies linked to the family of Chief Minister Pema Khandu in Arunachal Pradesh. A bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath said that the investigation would cover the period from January 1, 2015 to December 31. This will include a review of all public works, contracts and work orders done in the state by 2025. The court directed that the CBI submit the status report of this case to the Supreme Court within 16 weeks. The court had reserved this order during the hearing of the case on February 17.

The petitions filed in the case have claimed that in the last 10 years, government contracts worth about Rs 1,270 crore were given to four companies, which are linked to the family of CM Pema Khandu. Prashant Bhushan, counsel for the petitioner NGO, Save Mon Region Federation and Voluntary Arunachal Army, told the court that a clear conflict of interest was found in the contracts to the CM’s family.

In this case, CM Pema Khandu, his father Dorji Khandu’s second wife Rinchin Drima and nephew Tsering Tashi have been made party defendants. Dorji Khandu was the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and died in a helicopter crash in April 2011. The petition also pointed out that Rinchin Drima’s company, Brand Eagles, received several government contracts, which raise questions due to conflict of interest and family ties. With this action of the Supreme Court, transparency in government contracts and legal investigation of the contracts of the CM family will now be possible in the state.