After 20 Years, Kerala Reopens Graft Probe Linked To CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is facing renewed scrutiny over a 20-year-old corruption allegation after the Kerala government ordered the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to revisit an inquiry linked to a World Bank-funded road project he oversaw as the state’s Public Works Department secretary.

The case dates back to 2006, when Malaysian engineer Lee See Been, a project manager with the PATI-BEL consortium working on the Kerala State Transport Project, died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur. A reported suicide note allegedly named Kumar and accused PWD officials of seeking bribes to clear project bills. The contents of the note were never made public.

Why Has The 2006 Case Been Reopened?

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala ordered the fresh inquiry after Congress leader Malayinkeezhu Venugopal submitted a complaint alleging that the original Vigilance investigation had been compromised by external pressure. Chennithala said he found substance in the complaint and directed the Vigilance director to examine the allegations and take action according to law.

The renewed scrutiny concerns the Kerala State Transport Project, a World Bank-funded programme intended to upgrade major roads in the state. PATI-BEL, an Indo-Malaysian consortium, had secured a contract worth about Rs 216 crore to upgrade sections of the Main Central Road between Thiruvananthapuram and Angamaly. Delays in land acquisition and construction later led to disputes over costs and payments.

Lee, who was the consortium’s chief project manager, was reportedly under pressure as contractors and suppliers sought payments amid delays. In November 2006, he died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur.

Reports said his note, addressed to his wife and company director, alleged that PWD officials had demanded bribes for clearing bills and included Kumar’s name. The note itself has not been publicly released.

Kumar was removed as PWD secretary in December 2006, and the then Left Democratic Front government ordered a Vigilance inquiry. He subsequently moved to the Centre on deputation. The road contract was also cancelled in 2007 before later being renewed with PATI-BEL at an additional cost.

What Did The Earlier Vigilance Probe Find?

The original inquiry did not result in a publicly established finding of criminal guilt against Kumar. Current reporting says the earlier investigation stalled or was closed without reaching a conclusion, while the Kerala Vigilance Bureau is now examining the old records to determine whether a fresh investigation can legally proceed.

The bureau has retrieved files from the earlier inquiry and is reviewing the steps taken by investigators nearly two decades ago. According to The New Indian Express, officials are assessing whether any significant omission occurred before deciding on a fresh probe.

The reopening comes amid wider political controversy surrounding Kumar’s tenure as Chief Election Commissioner and Opposition demands for his resignation over allegations concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Kerala case, however, relates to events from 2006 and is separate from those current electoral-roll allegations.

Kumar’s official Election Commission profile records that he is a 1988-batch Kerala-cadre IAS officer who served in several state departments, including the PWD, before holding senior positions in the Union government.

For now, the revived proceedings amount to an inquiry into an old allegation, not a finding of wrongdoing. The Vigilance Bureau’s examination of the original files will determine whether the 2006 allegations can move into a fresh investigation.