The Supreme Court granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) two more weeks to submit a fresh status report in a case involving allegations that government contracts were awarded to family members of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta heard the matter. The case came up after the court, on August 3, directed the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home) of Arunachal Pradesh to appear personally over allegations that the state government had not fully cooperated with the CBI investigation.
Both senior officials appeared before the court on Monday and submitted affidavits explaining the show-cause notices issued to them on August 3.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Arunachal Pradesh government, sought two weeks to file a counter-affidavit. Advocate General Indranil Choudhury submitted that the state government had complied with the Supreme Court’s directions and provided the CBI with all information sought by the investigating agency.
The state government maintained that it had extended full cooperation to the CBI and followed the court’s directions in letter and spirit.
However, petitioner’s counsel Prashant Bhushan urged the court to restrict the scrutiny of documents to firms allegedly linked to the Chief Minister’s family rather than examining government contracts across the entire state.
The Supreme Court also tagged WPC No. 995/2026, filed by Nabam Kakum, with the main proceedings—MA 2216/2026 in WP(C) No. 543/2024. The additional petition raises similar allegations that government contracts and works were awarded to members or associates of the Chief Minister’s family.
The matter is scheduled to come up for further hearing after four weeks.
The case has also witnessed changes in Arunachal Pradesh’s legal representation before the Supreme Court. Anil Srivastav, who was serving as Additional Advocate General-cum-Standing Counsel for Arunachal Pradesh in the Supreme Court, resigned on August 10. His resignation came after Chief Minister Pema Khandu reportedly criticised the state’s standing counsel team for allegedly failing to appear before the Supreme Court.
Following his resignation, the state government appointed advocates Durga Dutt and Rishi Awasthi as its new standing counsel before the Supreme Court.
Monday’s hearing also drew considerable political attention amid reports of differences within the ruling BJP over the issue. Several Arunachal Pradesh MLAs and ministers, along with BJP workers and supporters considered close to Chief Minister Pema Khandu, travelled to New Delhi to express solidarity with him during the proceedings.
The case remains under the Supreme Court’s scrutiny, with the CBI expected to submit its fresh status report before the next stage of the proceedings.