Itanagar, Feb 4: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday reiterated that all those involved in the alleged land compensation scam linked to the Lada–Sarli stretch of the Frontier Highway project would be dealt with firmly, informing the Assembly that four persons have been arrested and bank accounts with deposits totalling Rs 11.5 crore have been seized by the State’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Responding to a zero-hour discussion initiated by senior Congress member Kumar Waii, the Chief Minister said bank accounts of several other individuals connected with the case are under scrutiny.
“Those who have fraudulently taken money in the name of compensation will have to deposit the amount back into the government exchequer. They will not be spared and stringent action will be initiated against them,” Khandu told the House.
Giving details of the Frontier Highway project, the Chief Minister said the 1,840-km highway, stretching from 9th Mile, Bomdila in West Kameng district to Vijaynagar in Changlang district along the Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Myanmar borders, was cleared by the Empowered Committee on Border Infrastructure (ECBI) on March 19, 2018 after a series of consultations with the Government of India and the Indian Army.
Of the total length, 586 km from Bomdila to Huri has been entrusted to the State PWD (Highway), 536 km to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and 718 km to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). He said all mandatory clearances, including forest clearance, have been obtained and the project is currently in various stages of tendering.
Khandu informed that the State Government had constituted a Fact-Finding Committee (FFC) on August 30 last year, which submitted its report on November 5. Based on its findings, five officials, including the then Deputy Commissioner of East Kameng district, Divisional Forest Officer and District Land Records and Settlement Officer, were suspended.
He said three committees were subsequently constituted to re-verify genuine landowners for the highway stretch under five packages (I to V). The re-verification process began on January 14 and the reports are expected to be submitted soon.
Citing the FFC report, the Chief Minister said discrepancies such as overestimation and under-estimation of land compensation, as well as omission of land and assets, were detected, and assured the House that these would be rectified.
Civil society organisations, activists and local landowners have alleged that compensation meant for genuine beneficiaries was diverted through inflated valuations and fraudulent claims, with the total alleged irregularities pegged at around Rs 130 crore for the road stretch from 0.00 Km to 125.55 Km.
Khandu said the case has been handed over to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which found that compensation paid to affected landowners was on the higher side. He added that an inter-ministerial committee headed by former IAS officer Amritlal Meena has been constituted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to investigate the matter, while the Enforcement Directorate has also initiated a preliminary probe.
Acknowledging that corruption still persists in the State, the Chief Minister said it could only be eliminated through collective efforts.
Highlighting the government’s anti-corruption drive, Khandu said the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) arrested 142 persons, including government officials, between 2016 and 2025 after the BJP came to power, compared to about 20 arrests during the 2005–2015 period.
“Our vision is to make Arunachal Pradesh corruption-free. We are working as ‘Team Arunachal’ and strengthening the Anti-Corruption Bureau to deal with corruption with iron hands,” he added.