Kerala orders probe into bribery allegations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
The state government has directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate claims regarding a 2006 road project.
The Kerala government on Wednesday directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to conduct a preliminary investigation into fresh bribery allegations against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. According to Scroll, the probe follows a complaint filed by contractor Sajan regarding Kumar's tenure as the state's Public Works Department (PWD) secretary in 2006.
Sajan, a contractor from Chadayamangalam in Kollam district, alleged that Kumar demanded a bribe of Rs 2 crore to release payments for work completed under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP). The complainant claimed that although engineers had approved bills worth approximately Rs 17 crore, Kumar deliberately withheld the cheques.
The allegations involve the Malaysian construction company PATI-BEL, which was tasked with upgrading the Main Central Road. Sajan alleged that the company's project manager, Lee See Been, told him that Kumar sought the bribe to clear the bills. Sajan further claimed that Lee died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur in November 2006 and had allegedly named Kumar in a suicide note.
The investigation comes after the Congress-led United Democratic Front government directed the VACB to look into the matter on October 4 following a complaint by leader Malayinkeezhu Venugopal. The VACB has requested permission from the Home Department to register a case after its initial examination.
The Vigilance Department will examine the new complaint through the team already looking into the KSTP project. Kumar has not responded to the latest allegations.