Kerala has ordered a fresh vigilance inquiry into corruption allegations linked to the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) and the 2006 death of a Malaysian engineer associated with the road programme during Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure as the state’s public works secretary. The inquiry will examine allegations of withheld contractor payments, demands for bribes and claims that an earlier investigation was not completed.
State home minister Ramesh Chennithala said the vigilance department would proceed after examining all legal aspects, despite Kumar now serving as the chief election commissioner. “The fact that Gyanesh Kumar is now the chief election commissioner will not prevent the investigation,” Chennithala told reporters.
The fresh inquiry follows a complaint by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee executive committee member Malayinkeezhu Venugopal seeking an investigation against Kumar. Chennithala said the complaint alleged that an investigation into serious corruption had been compromised through external influence and that the allegation had prima facie substance. The matter was discussed with the chief minister, after which the vigilance director was asked to begin the process. Legal advice was also sought on whether a case could be registered.
The allegations relate to a Rs 215-crore KSTP project to reconstruct the Angamaly-Thiruvananthapuram MC Road in 2006. The project was funded by the World Bank and awarded to PATI-BEL, a joint venture between a Malaysian company and Bhageeratha Engineering. Lee See Ben, the Malaysian project manager associated with the contractor, reportedly complained about the quality and administration of the work before returning to Malaysia.
According to the report cited by the minister, Lee later died by suicide in Malaysia and left two notes, one addressed to his wife and another to the company director. The notes allegedly accused the public works department and its officials of deliberately withholding bills after he refused to pay bribes. Chennithala said Kumar’s name appeared in the notes, but added that he had not personally seen them and that his information came through media reports.
Kumar was subsequently removed from his post, and a vigilance inquiry was conducted at the time. However, allegations later emerged that the inquiry had been abandoned midway and that the investigation had been derailed. Chennithala described the matter as a case that had been “hushed up” and said it did not move forward after the previous government came to power.
The renewed investigation places the administrative handling of contractor bills and public works oversight at the centre of the case. The minister said the allegations included demands for money to clear bills and delays in payment allegedly connected to corruption. The vigilance department is expected to first examine the complaint, available records and legal position before deciding the next steps.
