Kerala Orders Vigilance Probe Into CEC Gyanesh Kumar Over PWD Graft
Kerala government sanctions a VACB inquiry into CEC Gyanesh Kumar over 2006 PWD corruption allegations and a tragic suicide.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the administrative and political landscape, the Kerala government has officially granted sanction for a vigilance inquiry Gyanesh Kumar, the current Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), regarding corruption allegations dating back nearly two decades.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala confirmed on Wednesday that the approval for the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to investigate the matter was formalized on Tuesday evening. This decision followed extensive consultations with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and a detailed review of legal opinions.
The Core of the Allegations: A ₹2 Crore Demand
The investigation centers on Mr. Kumar's tenure as the Secretary of the Public Works Department (PWD) in 2006. The probe was triggered by a complaint lodged by V.O. Sajan, a former contractor, who has leveled serious accusations of bribery and misconduct.
According to the complaint, Gyanesh Kumar allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹2 crore to facilitate the release of payments amounting to approximately ₹17 crore. These funds were tied to the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP), specifically for road construction executed by the PATI-BEL consortium, an Indo-Malaysian joint venture.
A Tragic Connection: The Malaysian Engineer's Suicide
The case takes a grim turn when looking at the human cost of the alleged financial deadlock. Sajan claims that the withholding of the ₹17 crore payment caused extreme financial hardship for Lee See Been, a Malaysian engineer associated with the PATI-BEL consortium.
The complaint asserts that this distress eventually led Lee See Been to commit suicide between 2005 and 2006. This tragic event has now become a central part of the legal scrutiny surrounding the PWD Secretary's actions at the time.
Legal Technicalities and the Fresh Inquiry
The sanction for the probe has been granted under Section 17(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Interestingly, a previous vigilance investigation into the events of 2006 had been closed without any findings. However, the current administration has moved forward based on new legal advice.
Legal counsel has advised that a fresh inquiry is warranted, specifically noting that statements made by the deceased (Lee See Been) are admissible as evidence, potentially opening new avenues for the investigation that were not explored previously.
Political Backdrop
This legal development arrives amidst a climate of heightened political friction in Kerala. The Congress party has been actively protesting against the Election Commission, specifically targeting the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The timing of the vigilance sanction adds another layer of complexity to the existing tensions between the state government and the electoral body.