Arunachal civil society slams anti-corruption bureau over Rs 130-crore highway compensation scam

Alleging large-scale irregularities and inadequate investigation in the Rs 130-crore Lada–Sarli Frontier Highway land compensation scam, members of civil society organisations on January 5, demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club, Chopa Cheda Gyadom, chairman of the Lada Sarli Frontier Highway Land Compensation Scam Issue (LSFHLCSI), along with members Kumar Sonam, Tutu Dolo and Anil Rebe, said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has so far seized only Rs 7 crore and arrested just two persons, which they termed inadequate given the scale of the alleged scam.

Cheda alleged that the ACB, being under the state government, is not in a position to conduct a fair and independent investigation. “The credibility of the ACB may not be in doubt, but its institutional limitation under the state government makes it ineffective in such a massive case. Technocrats and bureaucrats alone cannot carry out corruption of this magnitude without political support,” he said.

The group demanded the arrest of all officials, managers, heads of departments and brokers allegedly involved in the scam, including former IAS officer and ex-deputy commissioner Himanshu Nigam. Cheda said the arrest of DLRSO Takam Kechak and one broker was merely an “eye wash” and accused investigators of being “toothless tigers”.

Drawing parallels with earlier cases, Cheda referred to alleged corruption in the Potin–Palin and Joram–Koloriang Trans Highway projects, where former deputy commissioners and contractors were arrested but later “rehabilitated politically”. He also cited the Seppa–Chayangtajo NEC road case, claiming that engineers accused in the scam were later promoted and some even elected as MLAs, raising serious questions about accountability.

The organisation urged the Chief Minister to grant full powers to the ACB and also involve the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the probe. Among other demands, the group called for departmental enquiries against all officers involved, seizure and freezing of bank accounts of brokers and alleged fake beneficiaries, and recovery of compensation amounts paid irregularly.

Cheda also appealed to DLRSO Takam Kechak, who is under arrest, not to make false statements and shoulder blame alone. “Transactions to beneficiaries’ accounts must be thoroughly investigated and recovered,” he said.

The group further demanded immediate steps to ensure the execution of the Lada–Sarli Frontier Highway project, warning that prolonged legal complications could delay development. They claimed to have submitted details of brokers and fake beneficiaries to the ACB but alleged that no further arrests have been made.

Criticising the alleged lack of action by the Home Minister, who is also the local MLA of East Kameng, the group said several accused were seeking interim bail. They also appealed to the Congress party to raise the issue in Parliament through leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi and Gaurav Gogoi, and urged Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene.