Gauhati High Court directs CBI to investigate alleged irregularities in Trans-Arunachal Highway project

ITANAGAR: The Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court has directed the CBI to investigate and register a case in the alleged irregularities by the board and others while preparing property assessment reports for compensation towards Trans-Arunachal Highway project.


While hearing a contempt case on July 29 last, the court directed the CBI to register a case within 10 days from that date and proceed with the investigation.

The court on August 9, 2012, had disposed off two writ petitions filed by petitioners -Leiki Khandu and Dorjee Khandu -- with a direction to the CBI to make an inquiry into the matter to find out the truth on the alleged irregularities committed by members of the board and other persons, including the local MLA Phurpa Tsering within six months.

But even after elapse of 10 months, the CBI authorities failed to comply with the court's directive, following which the petitioners filed the contempt case making the CBI Joint Director, North East Zone as one of the three respondents with the deputy commissioner West Kameng and additional deputy commissioner Dirang being the other two.

The CBI joint director in his affidavit told the court that it was the state government which had delayed the matter in the issue of consent as statutorily required under provisions of Sec 6 of the DSPE Act 1946 towards registering a regular case for investigation.

Before listing the contempt case for next hearing on August 19, the court referred to a similar case of West Bengal and observed that the consent of the state government was not necessary if a direction is given by the High Court or the Supreme Court under Article 226 or Article 32 of the Constitution, the order said.