Kerala Home Department seeks 2006 vigilance files on CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Thiruvananthapuram: In a politically significant development, the Kerala Home Department has sought files related to a 2006 preliminary vigilance inquiry involving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who was serving as the state’s Works Secretary at the time. The move comes amid growing protests by the INDIA bloc parties against Kumar over the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had initiated a preliminary inquiry into Kumar following the death by suicide of Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been nearly two decades ago, The New Indian Express reported.

According to sources, the Home Department has asked for records related to the inquiry launched after the death of Lee, who was the chief project manager of PATI-BEL, an Indo-Malaysian consortium involved in the upgradation of the MC Road under the Kerala State Transport Project. Lee reportedly died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur after allegedly facing prolonged difficulties in getting project bills cleared by government officials.

Kumar, a 1998-batch IAS officer, came under scrutiny after his name reportedly figured in Lee’s suicide note. The note allegedly referred to corruption and irregularities in the implementation of the project. The incident triggered a political controversy and prompted the then LDF government to order a vigilance inquiry.

However, the investigation subsequently lost momentum and was reportedly left incomplete. Sources said that officials searching for records at the time were unable to locate several key documents related to the case. The Crime Branch had also reportedly shown interest in the matter, but an initial search at its office failed to yield the relevant files.

The latest move by the Home Department to examine the available records and assess whether the inquiry can be pursued further could place the CPM in a politically difficult position, as the party was in power when the allegations first surfaced. The development comes at a time when the CPM has intensified its opposition to Gyanesh Kumar over his role as Chief Election Commissioner.