No rule says CM’s family members can’t be awarded contracts: Arunachal CM’s Advisor

He further added that these allegations will not have any impact on the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming State Assembly Elections and the Lok Sabha polls.

Two days after the Supreme Court sought replies from the Centre and the Pema Khandu government to a PIL seeking a CBI or SIT probe into contracts awarded to firms owned by family members of the Arunachal CM, a top Arunachal government official said today that there was no rule that said that family members of CMs and ministers cannot be awarded public works contracts.

“If you see the norms and systems there is no such rule that members of the family of the Chief Minister or any minister cannot do any contract work, supply works or any other activities related to government. When the CM is not involved the stand is very clear,” Advisor to Arunachal’s Chief Minister, Dr. Tangor Tapak said even as a storm seems to be brewing amid allegations of corruption against CM Khandu and his family members ahead of the Arunachal Assembly elections.

The Advisor further stated that as long as the CM himself is not involved, there is nothing wrong in it. He further added that these allegations will not have any impact on the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming State Assembly Elections and the Lok Sabha polls.

It may be mentioned here that the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Arunachal Pradesh government to respond to a PIL which alleged that high-value public work contracts in the state were awarded to firms owned by family members and relatives of CM Pema Khandu.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by NGOs, Save Mon Region Federation and the Voluntary Arunachal Sena have made Pema Khnadu’s father Dorjee Khandu’s second wife, Rinchin Drema and his nephew Tsering Tashi, parties in the case. The PIL claimed that Drema’s firm Brand Eagles, has been awarded a large number of government contracts despite there being a conflict of interest.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan who had filed the plea for the NGOs told the bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Padriwala and Manoj Misra that award of several public work contracts to the CM’s family members and associates required an impartial investigation, either by the CBI or a special investigation team (SIT).

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