Fresh probe ordered into bribery allegation against CEC Gyanesh Kumar from his Kerala days

New Delhi: Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has ordered the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to conduct a fresh inquiry into allegations against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. A former contractor has alleged that Kumar demanded a bribe during a road construction project in Kerala about two decades ago.

The development comes at a time when the Congress and other Opposition parties are agitating across the country against Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The complaint has been filed by Sajan, a contractor from Chadayamangalam in Kollam district. In his complaint to the director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, he alleged that Kumar, then secretary of the Public Works Department, had demanded a bribe of Rs 2 crore to clear payment for work already completed under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).

Sajan also alleged that engineers had already approved bills worth about Rs 17 crore, but Kumar deliberately held back the cheques. According to Sajan, this left the Malaysian company PATI-BEL and its contractors and employees in financial hardship.

Sajan said that people with direct knowledge of the alleged demand were not called for questioning during the earlier vigilance inquiry. He has also said he is prepared to present former employees of the company and other witnesses.

On the basis of the complaint, the bureau carried out a preliminary inquiry and sought permission from the Home Department to register a case. Sources said Chennithala ordered a preliminary investigation into the matter after taking legal opinion.

The case concerns alleged corruption in the MC Road improvement work under the KSTP. The work had been given to the PTI-BEL group. Kumar was then secretary of the state's Public Works Department. A vigilance inquiry was started in 2006. The allegations were not proved, and the inquiry was later closed without further action.

The fresh inquiry will also examine whether key aspects of the allegations were ignored in the earlier probe. The allegations against Kumar have not been proved, and the vigilance inquiry will look into the claims.