Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu faces CBI probe amid corruption allegations; BJP defends leadership

Guwahati: While pressure is building on Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu for stepping down from the chief ministership after the Supreme Court directed the CBI to begin a probe into charges of corruption against his family, BJP leadership in Arunachal defended Khandu and said that party stands by him and there is no question of a leadership change while an investigation is under way.

Opposition Congress party had said that Khandu must step down. The Supreme Court had in April ordered a preliminary CBI inquiry into charges that public work contracts worth approximately Rs 1,270 crore were awarded between 2015 and 2025 to firms allegedly linked to members of Khandu’s family. The probe is currently underway.

State BJP president Kaling Moyong said it would fully respect the judicial process and would not take any decision until the investigation reaches its conclusion. “If the Supreme Court delivers a verdict against the Chief Minister, the party will take an appropriate decision. But not now, as the investigation is still going on”.


Mayong said that the party remains united and that there has been no discussion on a change of leadership despite attempts to fuel speculation through unverified reports circulating on social media and digital platforms.Let the CBI submit a probe report.

“ I have even discussed this with BJP national president Nitin Nabin and he said that there is no question of change."

BJP general secretary Tadar Niglar, “All 46 party MLAs are under one umbrella and under one leadership. There is no division within the party. The party would initiate disciplinary action against those found to be involved in spreading misinformation regarding the Chief Minister’s alleged resignation. “However, if anyone from the BJP is behind this fake news, we will take stringent action against that individual.”

Meanwhile, the Itanagar district unit of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on Sunday lodged a complaint at the Itanagar police station against the publication that carried the report on Khandu’s alleged resignation.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on May 19 stated in X, “It was on April 6, 2026, that a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court directed the CBI to commence a preliminary inquiry into allegations that the Arunachal Pradesh CM’s family was awarded contracts worth Rs 1,270 crore over 10 years from Jan 2015 to Dec 2025 in a direct conflict of interest. This is not an order of a lower court or a High Court. It is of the Supreme Court. Yet the CM continues in office. He is also the PWD Minister and controls the files that the CBI will need to conduct its inquiry. Why is the man who once said 'na khaoonga, na khaane doonga' quiet and why has the Arunachal Pradesh CM not been asked to step down? This is a gross travesty of the Supreme Court’s verdict itself. There are other BJP CMs as well who fall in the category of the Arunachal Pradesh CM”.

The Supreme Court on April 6 directed the CBI to register within two weeks a preliminary inquiry into allegations of preferential allotment of contracts for public work in Arunachal Pradesh to firms allegedly owned or related to the family members of Chief Minister Khandu.

The Apex Court stated the state and its instrumentalities cannot confer benefits according to the "whims of any political or administrative functionary. It was a fit case where an "independent investigation" was necessary.

The bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath said where a case concerns the integrity of public procurement and involves allegations of conflict of interest at the highest levels, an investigation must not only be fair but also must appear fair.