The Keralam government has ordered a preliminary investigation into corruption allegations dating back 20 years, involving bribery, financial losses and the death of a chief engineer. The allegations stem from Kumar's tenure as the secretary of Keralam's Public Works Department.
The Keralam government has initiated a preliminary investigation into corruption allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who served as the secretary of the state's Public Works Department two decades ago. The development comes amid ongoing allegations about irregularities in the conduct of the special intensive revision of voters rolls and calls for his removal from office.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front government has directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to probe allegations of bribery involving an Indo-Malaysian construction company that was awarded a contract to upgrade the Main Central Road under the Kerala State Transport Project. The project, during Kumar’s tenure, saw delays and cost escalations while the Left Democratic Front government was in power.
The firm had been awarded the contract by the previous UDF government. The allegations also include financial losses to the exchequer and the suspected death by suicide of Lee See Been, chief engineer of the PATI-BEL consortium, in Kuala Lumpur in November 2006.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala confirmed that the government received a formal complaint alleging irregularities during Kumar's tenure as the public works department secretary. Congress leader Malayinkeezhu Venugopal filed the complaint, alleging that the 2006 inquiries against Kumar did not follow due process and ignored incriminatory accusations in Lee's purported suicide note.
Venugopal also claimed that Lee had mentioned Kumar in his suicide note. The then Left Democratic Front government quietly closed the investigation against Kumar, allowing him to seek Central deputation, according to The Hindu.
Chennithala said the allegation that ‘external influence’ derailed the earlier investigation was ‘serious’ and will be inquired into. 'Public accountability does not expire with time', he added.
Source:
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