Thiruvananthapuram. The investigation into the nearly 20 year old case related to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is going to start again. Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has ordered a detailed vigilance inquiry into the allegations of irregularities and corruption leveled against Gyanesh Kumar when he was Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary in 2006. The case is also related to the death of Malaysian engineer Lee C Bean, whose name was linked to a major road construction work of the Kerala State Transport Project.
The whole matter is related to MC Road project
In 2006, an Indo-Malaysian joint venture named PATI-BEL was carrying out the upgradation of MC Road under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP). This approximately 240 kilometer long road goes from Thiruvananthapuram to Angamaly. At that time Gyanesh Kumar was the Secretary of Kerala PWD and his department was responsible for the administrative matters related to the project. The cost of the project was said to be around Rs 216 crore.
Questions were raised after the death of Malaysian engineer
Lee C. Bean, the chief project manager associated with PATI-BEL, died in Kuala Lumpur in November 2006. Gyanesh Kumar's name was claimed to be in the alleged suicide note that surfaced after his death. Apart from this, he was accused of alleged irregularities in the payments of the project and matters related to contractors. However, these allegations are now under re-examination and cannot be considered as a judicial conclusion.
The 2006 investigation was left midway
A vigilance investigation was initiated after Lee Si Bean's death, but the case could not proceed further. Later Gyanesh Kumar was transferred from PWD and went to Delhi on deputation to the Centre. Now, based on the complaint of Congress leader Malayinkizhu Venugopal, it has been decided to reopen the investigation of the old case. The complaint alleges that the initial investigation was affected due to external pressure.
Instructions to Vigilance Director for comprehensive investigation
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directed the Director of Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter and take legal action based on the findings of the investigation. Along with the allegations of alleged corruption, the investigation will also look into why the investigation started in 2006 could not move forward and whether there was any kind of external influence on it.
Old case comes to light amid SIR controversy
This action against Gyanesh Kumar has taken place at a time when opposition parties and some organizations are demanding his resignation regarding Special Intensive Review (SIR). However, the Kerala government has clarified that the vigilance investigation related to 2006 is based on a separate case. The Home Minister has also said that the ongoing political dispute regarding SIR and the old case are different.
The truth of the allegations will become clear only after investigation
At present, the vigilance investigation will investigate the reality of the two decade old allegations and the action taken at that time. The allegations of corruption or use of influence against Gyanesh Kumar have not been proven yet. Only after the investigation is completed will it be clear whether there were any irregularities in the 2006 project and under what circumstances the earlier investigation was stopped.