Kerala orders Vigilance probe into allegations linked to Gyanesh Kumar’s PWD tenure

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has ordered a Vigilance investigation into allegations of irregularities during Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure as the State’s Public Works Department Secretary. The inquiry also concerns the 2006 death of Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been, according to the Home Minister’s Office. The investigation was ordered after a complaint by Congress leader Malayankeezhu Venugopal.

Mr. Chennithala instructed the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to examine allegations of external influence in the case and take appropriate action based on its findings. Mr.

Kumar, who is now the Chief Election Commissioner, was serving in the Kerala Public Works Department when Mr. Been died by suicide. Mr.

Been was chief project manager for PATI-BEL, an Indo-Malaysian joint venture involved in upgrading the 240-kilometre MC Road between Thiruvananthapuram and Angamaly under the Kerala State Transport Project. A note left by Mr. Been purportedly mentioned Mr.

Kumar. The complaint alleges that the original inquiry into the death was deliberately derailed and that earlier Vigilance enquiries were closed abruptly. According to the Congress-led United Democratic Front government, the allegations against Mr.

Kumar include criminal misconduct in awarding public works contracts while he was PWD Secretary. The complainant has sought an examination of all allegations and claims that Mr. Kumar used his influence to escape consequences.

A Vigilance inquiry was ordered after Mr. Been’s death in 2006, but, according to sources cited in the report, it did not proceed further. Mr.

Kumar subsequently moved to the Defence Ministry on deputation. The development comes as Congress and other opposition parties are protesting against Mr. Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls across India.

The supplied report does not state whether Mr. Kumar has responded to the latest allegations.