Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has ordered a Vigilance enquiry into corruption allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The allegations date back to 2006, when Kumar served as the secretary of Kerala’s Public Works Department (PWD). The Home Department ordered the enquiry after Malayankeezhu Venugopal filed a complaint. Venugopal has demanded an investigation into alleged irregularities in the award of public works contracts during Kumar’s tenure as PWD secretary. The complaint also raises questions about the death of Lee See Been, a Malaysian national who worked as the chief project manager of PATI-BEL. The Indo-Malaysian joint venture was involved in a road project under the Kerala State Transport Project. Lee died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur in 2006. Reports at the time said his suicide note mentioned Kumar’s name. The note also reportedly contained allegations of corruption and harassment by PWD officials.

What Are the Allegations Against Gyanesh Kumar?

Venugopal’s complaint alleges that Kumar engaged in criminal misconduct while awarding public works contracts to contractors during his time as PWD secretary. The complaint has also called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Lee’s death. It seeks a probe into the allegations reportedly made in Lee’s suicide note. The controversy had previously triggered a Vigilance enquiry in 2006. Reports from that period said the government transferred Kumar out of the PWD before the end of the year after the allegations emerged. However, the earlier enquiry did not reach a conclusive outcome. Venugopal has alleged that the previous Vigilance enquiries were closed abruptly. He has also claimed that authorities failed to properly pursue the allegations.

Kerala Government Seeks Old Vigilance Records

The latest enquiry follows a move by the Kerala Home Department to obtain files related to the preliminary Vigilance enquiry conducted against Kumar in 2006. The records reportedly cover the investigation launched after Lee’s suicide. They also relate to the allegations connected with the Kerala State Transport Project. The issue has returned to the spotlight nearly two decades later. Kumar is facing political criticism over the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The new Vigilance enquiry will examine the allegations raised in Venugopal’s complaint. It will also look into the records and circumstances surrounding the earlier investigation.