Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the Supreme Court’s decision to summon the state’s Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home) over alleged non-cooperation with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as outcome of a “one-sided hearing”.
Khandu said the absence of the state’s legal representatives prevented the government from explaining the steps it had taken to assist the CBI and from placing details of records and data already shared with the agency before the court.
According to Khandu, the Supreme Court therefore considered the CBI’s submissions regarding difficulties in obtaining certain government records without hearing the state’s response.
“The standing counsel members from Arunachal Pradesh missed the hearing. Because of their absence, it became a one-sided hearing, and the state could neither represent its position nor place before the court the cooperation extended to the CBI in terms of providing data and records,” Khandu said.
He added that the state would present its position at the next hearing on August 24 and clarify the extent of its cooperation with the investigating agency.
The remarks came after a Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta directed Arunachal Pradesh’s Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home) to appear personally before the court on August 24.
The petition has raised allegations that contracts worth several hundred crore rupees were awarded to firms allegedly connected with members of Khandu’s family and close associates. It has also alleged possible conflicts of interest, procedural irregularities and violations of anti-corruption safeguards.
