Arunachal: Cong flags Rs 130-crore land compensation scam, seeks probe

Itanagar, Dec 22 (PTI) The Congress on Monday alleged a Rs 130-crore land compensation scam linked to the Lada–Sarli stretch of the Arunachal Frontier Highway project and accused the BJP-led governments at the Centre and the state of failing to ensure transparency and accountability.

Addressing a press conference, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bosiram Siram termed the case one of the biggest land compensation scams in the state’s history and demanded immediate corrective action.

Siram said the scale of the alleged irregularities, ranging from manipulation of land records and fraudulent claims to inflated compensation and misuse of public funds, points to a ‘well-orchestrated scam’ rather than an administrative lapse.

Such a magnitude of financial wrongdoing, he said, could not have occurred without political patronage or wilful negligence at higher levels.

The APCC chief demanded that the state government issue a comprehensive white paper on the case, detailing the land acquisition process, verification of records, identification of beneficiaries, disbursal of compensation, and the roles of officials and political executives.

He said the document should be made public within a month to restore public trust.

Siram further sought the resignation of Union minister Kiren Rijiju, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and state home minister Mama Natung on moral grounds, alleging direct or indirect responsibility and failure to prevent or act against the alleged scam.

Rejecting what he described as attempts to place the blame solely on bureaucrats, Siram said government officers’ function under the authority of the political executive and cannot be made scapegoats.

"Corruption of this scale, particularly in a nationally important highway project, implies administrative approvals and oversight failures at the top," he alleged.

The Congress leader said the highway is under close central scrutiny and asserted that moral responsibility rests with senior leaders when such alleged irregularities surface in the state.

Calling moral accountability a cornerstone of democratic governance, Siram said resignations were necessary to ensure a free, fair and impartial investigation.

The party also demanded a court-monitored independent probe, recovery of alleged misappropriated funds, and strict action against all beneficiaries and conspirators irrespective of status. PTI UPL UPL MNB