Thiruvananthapuram: In a sharp escalation of the row over electoral reforms, Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to reopen a two-decade-old inquiry into allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his stint as the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary in 2006.
The case is tied to the suicide of Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been, chief project manager of the PATI-BEL consortium that was executing the MC Road upgradation under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).
Lee’s suicide note is reported to have named Kumar and other senior PWD officials, alleging systemic corruption, harassment and deliberate delays in clearing project bills that pushed him to take his own life in Kuala Lumpur in November 2006, as reported by The News Mill.
Files Summoned, Fresh Probe Ordered
The Keralam Home Department first sought all records of the 2006 preliminary vigilance inquiry into Kumar after the INDIA bloc began its nationwide campaign against him over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Officials found that many key documents from the original probe could not be traced, and the Crime Branch’s own search at the time reportedly yielded no results, according to multiple reports.
On Sunday, Chennithala formally instructed the Vigilance Director to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, including claims that the earlier probe was compromised by external pressure.
The Home Minister’s Office said Chennithala described the allegations of interference in the 2006 case as serious and said they merit a detailed probe.
SIR Row And Opposition Offensive
The revival of the 2006 case comes as opposition parties intensify their attack on Kumar over the SIR exercise, accusing the Election Commission of mass voter deletions and procedural irregularities.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has pressed Chief Electoral Officers across states to come forward with details of any directions issued to them during the SIR process.
The INDIA bloc has announced further protests, including a demonstration on October 6 and a major rally in New Delhi on November 1, while student groups and civil society organisations have joined the demand for Kumar’s resignation.
