Shillong, Oct 31: Advocate General Amit Kumar on Saturday refuted allegations made by the Meghalaya High Court Bar Association regarding his fee in arbitration proceedings involving the PWD (NH) and BSC-C&C JV and BSCPL Infrastructure Ltd.
Secretary General Kishore Gautam had alleged that Kumar charged Rs 1.5 lakh per court appearance in a district-level Commercial Court case against a scheduled Rs 20,000 and misled the public on September 3.
Kumar termed the allegations “incorrect and false.”
In a press statement issued, the AG said his fee is governed by Law Department O.M. dated 11.10.2018 which provides Rs 50,000 per month retaining fee, Rs 20,000 per appearance in High Court and Rs 40,000 per appearance. However, the O.M. also states that “any other professional work not covered above shall be mutually decided by the Law Department in consultation with the Advocate General.”
He said the three arbitrations – BSC-C&C JV, BSCPL Infrastructure Ltd. and Marbaniang Projects Pvt. Ltd. involving MUDA Complex worth Rs 1,100 crore – are major construction arbitrations not covered under routine state matters. The fee schedule of Rs 1.5 lakh per appearance was disclosed in writing to Chief Engineer (NH) on August 19, 2019 and referred to the Regional Office of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. He justified the fee citing 11,000 pages of records and about 80 hearings.
Kumar said the stakes involved were huge. The BSC C&C JV contract value was Rs 1,303.83 crore which rose to Rs 2,406.46 crore. Claims of about Rs 1,588 crore were made against the State, which with interest would have stood at about Rs 1,788 crore as on October 31, 2026. The Tribunals rejected claims of about Rs 1,470 crore and awarded about Rs 13 crore to the State.
He alleged personal involvement of Gautam as counsel for the contractors. Citing court records, he said Gautam appeared for BSC-C&C JV and for BSCPL and in writ appeals filed in January 2026. He also appeared in writ appeals of 2026 which was dismissed on February 19, 2026.
The AG further said that on September 10, 2024 a FIR was registered at Sardar Police Station against BSC-C&C JV under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act based on the contractor’s own ledger entries showing liquor, gifts and hospitality offered to officials. The firm was blacklisted for five years on December 3, 2024, upheld by the High Court on December 17, 2025 and by the Division Bench on February 19, 2026.
Kumar said the campaign is driven by “personal vendetta” as in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case he had advised calling for an explanation from the Special Public Prosecutor, who is the brother of Gautam.
He also said Gautam projected his bank account number, IFSC code and PAN at the press conference, which invades privacy under Article 21 and amounts to defamation punishable under Section 356 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and that he will pursue legal remedies.
