Itanagar, Feb 5: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday announced stringent measures against those involved in a multi-crore land compensation scam linked to the Lada-Sarli stretch of the Frontier Highway.
During a zero-hour discussion in the Assembly raised by Congress MLA Kumar Waii, Khandu said the bank accounts of several suspects are under scrutiny. “Those who fraudulently claimed compensation must return the money to the government exchequer. They will face no leniency,” he said.
Khandu added that a fact-finding committee formed on August 30 last year submitted its report on November 5, leading to the suspension of five officials. Three committees have been set up to re-verify genuine landowners for the highway stretch across five packages. The reverification process began on January 14, with reports expected shortly.
The Chief Minister acknowledged discrepancies in land compensation, including overestimations and underestimations, which the government plans to correct. He also said the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has set up an inter-ministerial probe panel, while the Enforcement Directorate has launched a preliminary investigation.
The 1,840-km Frontier Highway, sanctioned in 2018, runs from Bomdila in West Kameng to Vijaynagar in Changlang along the Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Myanmar borders. Construction is being undertaken by private agencies (586 km), the Border Roads Organisation (536 km), and NHIDCL (718 km).
The State Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), now handling the case, has found inflated payouts to landowners. Four individuals have been arrested, and Rs 11.5 crore seized, with more suspects under investigation. Alleged irregularities on the 125.55-km Lada-Sarli stretch are estimated at Rs 130 crore, triggering protests from civil society, activists, and locals over fake claims.
Highlighting anti-corruption efforts, Khandu said that from 2016-2025, 142 officials were arrested under BJP rule by the Special Investigation Cell, compared to 20 between 2005-2015. “Our goal is a corruption-free Arunachal. Team Arunachal will strengthen ACB for iron-fisted measures,” he added.
