More trouble for Gyanesh Kumar? Keralam orders probe in 2006 case linked to Malaysian man's suicide: What we know so far
The move comes against the backdrop of protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), the INDIA bloc, and student leaders against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
State Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala ordered a Vigilance investigation into the case involving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, news agency ANI reported on Sunday.
The move comes against the backdrop of protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), the INDIA bloc, and student leaders against the CEC over alleged irregularities in the Special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The case concerns allegations of irregularities during Kumar's tenure as the state’s Public Works Department Secretary in 2006.
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1What is the 2006 case involving Gyanesh Kumar about?⌵
The 2006 case against Gyanesh Kumar pertains to allegations of irregularities during his tenure as Public Works Department Secretary, linked to the suicide of Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been, who mentioned Kumar in his suicide note.
2Why has the Keralam Home Minister ordered a probe into Gyanesh Kumar?⌵
The probe has been ordered due to allegations that external pressure influenced the original inquiry into the case of Lee See Been's suicide, and protests have been raised against Kumar over electoral roll irregularities.
3How did Lee See Been's suicide relate to Gyanesh Kumar?⌵
Lee See Been's suicide note implicated Gyanesh Kumar, citing systemic corruption and harassment by Public Works Department officials that led to his despair.
4What actions did the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau take in 2006 regarding Gyanesh Kumar?⌵
In 2006, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau initiated a preliminary probe into Gyanesh Kumar following Lee See Been's suicide, although the inquiry reportedly lost momentum over time.
5Should Gyanesh Kumar be held accountable for the allegations stemming from Lee See Been's case?⌵
The ongoing protests and new investigations suggest many believe Gyanesh Kumar should be held accountable for the allegations, especially given the resurfacing of the case amid calls for transparency and justice.
It pertains to the death by suicide of Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been, who was associated with the PATI-BEL consortium involved in the upgradation of MC Road under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTR).
His suicide note reportedly mentioned Gyanesh Kumar.
“The investigation is being initiated following allegations that external pressure was exerted and the original inquiry was derailed,” a statement from the home minister's office read.
“State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directly instructed the Vigilance Director to conduct a thorough inquiry into allegations of external influence in the case involving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and take appropriate action based on the findings,” the statement added.
What do we know so far about the 2006 case?
On October 1, The New Indian Express reported that the Kerala home department summoned files pertaining to the vigilance bureau’s preliminary inquiry against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in 2006, when he was serving as the Public Works Department (PWD) secretary in Keralam.
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had carried out a preliminary probe against Gyanesh Kumar following the suicide of a Malaysian civil engineer two decades ago.
According to the report, Lee See Been had served as chief project manager for PATI-BEL, an Indo-Malaysian consortium involved in upgrading the MC Road under the multi-billion Kerala State Transport Project.
Lee died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur, apparently after his bid to get bills cleared were stone-walled by government officials, the report claimed.
Gyanesh Kumar, the 1998-batch IAS officer, got dragged into the row after Lee’s suicide note mentioned his name. Lee’s notes testified about the systemic corruption that plagued the project implementation.
The note reportedly contained allegations concerning corruption and harassment by PWD officials.
Lee's death triggered a massive row, prompting the LDF government of the time to announce a vigilance inquiry.
However, the vigilance soon lost steam and the enquiry was reportedly stalled, The New Indian Express reported.
Sources told the outlet that most of the documents connected to the case could not be retrieved in the initial search. The crime branch too had shown interest in the case back then, but a quick search at its office also did not yield any result regarding the documents, sources added.
Twenty years later, the same allegation is being revived amid protests against the current Chief Election Commissioner because “Gyanesh got empowerment from dark anti-national forces that captured power using vote chori and polarisation and turned to bigger institutional crimes that threaten the nation's hard-earned independence, democracy, constitution, and survival. His day of reckoning is nearing. He won't be spared,” the Kerala Congress posted on X.