Congress Questions PM's Silence on CBI Inquiry Involving Arunachal CM

The Congress on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over a Supreme Court-ordered preliminary CBI inquiry into the award of public works contracts in Arunachal Pradesh worth about ₹1,270 crore to firms linked to family members of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

Party general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said Mr Khandu should have resigned, or been asked to step down, after the Supreme Court directed the CBI on April 6 to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the award and execution of public works contracts in the State between 2015 and 2025.

"But both the CM and his Supreme Leader the PM decided to brazen it out," Mr Ramesh said in a post on X.

The top court asked the CBI to register a preliminary inquiry and file a status report within 16 weeks on whether a full-fledged independent investigation was warranted. It also directed the Arunachal Pradesh government to cooperate with the agency and ensure that relevant records were preserved.

Mr Ramesh said the Supreme Court subsequently summoned senior officials of the Arunachal Pradesh government on August 3 after the CBI complained that the State was not cooperating with the inquiry.

"The CM [who has continued as PWD Minister] was denying access to the relevant files. The HM was reportedly taken aback by the CBI's new-found courage," he said.

Mr Ramesh said the Supreme Court, on August 24, had noted that instead of providing the relevant documents, the State government had supplied "huge chunks of documents" to the CBI. "It is extraordinary and totally unacceptable that the CM continues in office. This shows the complete hypocrisy of the PM," he said.

The Congress leader contrasted this with Mr Modi's oft-repeated formulation on corruption — Na khaunga, na khane dunga [I will neither indulge in corruption nor allow anyone else to do so].

"Yet another example of 'khaya hai, khane diya hai aur khilwaya bhi hai' [have indulged in, as well as allowed others to indulge in corruption]," Mr Ramesh said.

While ordering the preliminary inquiry in April, the Supreme Court had said the record disclosed repeated use of non-tender methods in public works, absence of recorded reasons for dispensing with competitive tendering and non-production of vouchers and tender-related documents in projects of substantial value.

The circumstances raised concerns of "possible abuse of public office" and warranted investigation by an independent agency, the top court had said. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for September 25, Mr Ramesh said.