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The Kerala government has ordered the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to examine fresh bribery allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over an infrastructure project executed nearly two decades ago. Official sources confirmed on Wednesday that Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala directed the anti-corruption agency to review the claims, which relate to Kumar’s tenure as the state’s Public Works Department Secretary during the implementation of the Kerala State Transport Project. The directive comes at a politically sensitive time, as the Congress and other opposition parties continue their agitation against Kumar over the ongoing nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Contractor Accuses Former Secretary of Withholding Funds
The inquiry follows a petition submitted to the Vigilance Director by a contractor named Sajan, a resident of Chadayamangalam in Kollam district. Sajan alleged that Kumar deliberately withheld approved cheques worth roughly Rs 17 crore for road works completed under the project. According to the complaint, Kumar demanded a bribe of Rs 2 crore as a condition for clearing the bills, which had already received technical clearance from supervising engineers.
The petition states that the delayed disbursements created severe financial distress for Malaysian infrastructure firm PATI-BEL, along with its subcontractors and laborers. Sajan stated that the firm’s project engineer, Malaysian national Lee See Been, informed him directly about the alleged demand for money. Sajan claimed that although he suggested making a payment to expedite the clearance, representatives from the company refused on the grounds that PATI-BEL’s executive management strictly prohibited securing project funds through corrupt payments.
Engineer’s Suicide Linked to Payment Crisis
According to the contractor’s statement, Lee managed to divert funds from a separate company venture in Bengaluru to provide partial relief to local workers and suppliers. However, the persistent fiscal backlog and the pressure surrounding the unpaid bills allegedly contributed to Lee committing suicide in 2006. Sajan stated that Lee documented the alleged bribery demand and Kumar’s conduct in a suicide note, the contents of which were reportedly confirmed to staff members by the engineer’s family in Malaysia.
The complaint openly questions the credibility of an initial Vigilance probe conducted shortly after Lee’s death in 2006, which authorities later closed because the allegations could not be substantiated. Sajan argued that investigating officers failed to record statements from material witnesses who possessed direct knowledge of the transactions. He has offered to bring forward Lee’s overseas family members, former company personnel, and other key witnesses to assist the current inquiry.
Preliminary Inquiry Underway Following Legal Advice
Following the receipt of the petition, the Vigilance Department sought formal clearance from the Home Department to proceed with an inquiry. Official sources stated that Chennithala sanctioned the preliminary examination after receiving a formal legal opinion on the matter. This new petition will be integrated into the preliminary inquiry initiated under Chennithala’s earlier orders on October 4, which were triggered by a complaint from KPCC leader Malayinkeezhu Venugopal.
The investigation focuses specifically on the upgradation of the MC Road undertaken by the PATI-BEL consortium during Kumar’s period as PWD Secretary. The refreshed investigation will also examine whether the previous inquiry suffered from procedural lapses or ignored crucial testimonies. The allegations against Kumar remain unproven, and the preliminary investigation is tasked with determining whether any factual evidence exists to warrant further legal proceedings. Kumar has not yet offered any response to the matter.
