Guwahati, June 28 -- The Supreme Court on Friday stayed an order of the Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court directing the Centre to deposit 50% of Rs 418 crore as compensation for land acquisition in Arunachal Pradesh, amid allegations of forgery.

The case pertains to the acquisition of 537 acres of land in Bame village under Basar Circle, Leparada district, for a Corps Ammunition Point under the Ministry of Defence. The land lies in a remote area near the Indo-China border.

Appearing for the Union government, Additional Solicitor General S D Sanjay told a bench led by Justice KV Viswanathan that a single individual, Dagli Riba, allegedly submitted forged and fabricated powers of attorney on behalf of 102 landowners to seek reasses...