The Kerala Home Department has ordered the reopening of a Vigilance probe into alleged corruption in a road-related work from 2006 — when Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar served as the secretary of the state Public Works Department (PWD).
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala ordered a reinvestigation in the case, wherein a probe was launched against Kumar following the suicide of a Malaysian engineer, Lee See Been, who was then chief project manager of a major road work undertaken by PATI-BEL, an Indo-Malaysian venture, in the state.
Kumar’s name had allegedly figured in two notes he purportedly left behind before dying by suicide in Kuala Lumpur. Kumar was sent to central deputation soon after.
The probe revives a 20-year-old corruption allegation against Gyanesh Kumar, who is now the Chief Election Commissioner. The earlier Vigilance inquiry was closed without reaching a conclusion.
The road project, known as Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP), was funded by the World Bank.
Chennithala told the media on Sunday that he received a complaint alleging the 2006 Vigilance probe had been compromised under external pressure. “I have directed the Vigilance to probe into the matter thoroughly. Gyanesh Kumar’s name had figured in the suicide note that the Malaysian engineer addressed to his wife and the company director.”
He said, “Vigilance had examined the matter in 2006. However, the probe did not go ahead, although Kumar was transferred out of the PWD. Now, I have got a complaint from Congress leader Malayankeezhu Venugopal regarding the issue. I had discussed the matter with Chief Minister V D Satheesan and decided to order a comprehensive probe in this regard.’’
The Indian Express reached out to the CEC and the EC spokesperson through email but did not receive a response.
Senior CPI(M) leader M Vijayakumar, who had served as law minister in 2006 under the then V S Achuthanandan government, said Vigilance had begun probe into the matter, but no FIR was registered as the purported suicide notes were not made available in Kerala.
Senior IUML leader M K Muneer, who was the state PWD minister from 2001 to 2006, said, “It was being said that the engineer had left behind a suicide note. Nobody had seen it and what it contained. We do not know what he had written.”
Speaking to the media in Kozhikode, he said, “A comprehensive probe is required into the entire issue. The then government [led by the CPI(M)] did not take the probe forward. I welcome it.”
Chennithala said that the 2006 probe was “abandoned midway” but “Vigilance is capable of taking the probe ahead after two decades”. “When I get a complaint as the minister in charge of the Vigilance, I am duty-bound to order a probe,’’ he said.
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PATI-BEL had undertaken the renovation of a few stretches of major roads in the state at a cost of Rs 216 crore. However, construction of the assigned roads got delayed due to alleged laxity in land acquisition from 2001 to 2006.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
