Kerala Government Orders Investigation into Allegations Against Chief Election Commissioner
Investigation Launched Against Chief Election Commissioner
Thiruvananthapuram - The Kerala Home Department has instructed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to initiate a preliminary investigation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. This inquiry pertains to allegations dating back to 2006 when Kumar served as the Secretary of the state's Public Works Department (PWD). It is claimed that he solicited bribes from contractors to approve bills for public construction projects.
The office of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced on Wednesday that this investigation will be based on a recent complaint filed by a contractor named Sajan. The complaint alleges that Kumar demanded a bribe of two crore rupees from Li Si Bin, the Malaysian project manager of a road project undertaken by a joint venture called 'PATI-BEL'. Notably, Li committed suicide in Malaysia in November 2005, and a suicide note was reportedly found, accusing PWD officials of halting payments due to bribery demands.
This case was already on the VACB's radar, as last month, Congress leader Mayankarizhu Venugopal submitted a complaint to the Home Minister regarding it. Venugopal alleged that Kumar's name was mentioned in Li's suicide note and that external pressures had influenced the VACB's investigation in 2006. According to the Home Minister's office, following Venugopal's complaint, the VACB sought legal advice on reopening the case. Now, with Sajan's serious allegations in a new complaint, a decision on filing an FIR will be made after completing this preliminary investigation.
In his complaint submitted to the Home Minister on October 23, Sajan asserted that Kumar was the true reason behind Li's suicide. He stated that he was one of the material suppliers for the joint venture and closely monitored the project's work. Due to delays in bill approvals, Li was unable to pay local contractors and suppliers. Sajan claimed that Li had informed him that Kumar demanded two crore rupees in exchange for approving the bills, but the PATI-BEL company was unwilling to pay the bribe.
Sajan further alleged that Li's family had informed company employees that Kumar was explicitly mentioned in the suicide note. A resident of Kollam, Sajan expressed his readiness to present all necessary evidence, including testimonies from Li's family members, if the government orders an investigation.
According to statements made in the assembly, last month, Home Minister Chennithala informed the house that the VACB had previously closed its investigation into the 2006 road project due to insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations. However, the decision to halt the investigation has come under scrutiny, with claims that it was stopped due to significant pressure. Chennithala stated that since the allegations could not be confirmed, the VACB recommended to the government that no further action was necessary.
Additionally, he mentioned that Kumar's name had emerged in a vigilance inquiry related to 76 construction works allegedly distributed without following the proper tender process between 2003 and 2006. The VACB had initiated investigations into all these works, including the allegations against Kumar. Chennithala noted that since irregularities could not be conclusively proven, the vigilance department halted all legal proceedings and submitted a report to the government stating that no further action was required. He also pointed out that in 2012, the agency reported eight cases to the court as 'mistakes of fact', which were accepted by the court. Despite the serious bribery allegations mentioned in the alleged suicide note left in Malaysia, this note has never been made public.