Kerala orders vigilance probe into CEC Gyanesh Kumar over 2006 suicide case

The Kerala government has ordered a fresh vigilance investigation into Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in a 2006 road project and its links to the suicide of a Malaysian engineer.

The order, issued by Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, comes amid growing political heat for the election chief. In New Delhi, police deployed heavy security, barricaded streets near parliament, and detained several high-profile opposition figures who gathered to demand Kumar's resignation over separate allegations.

The road project and the suicide

The Kerala case dates back twenty years to when Kumar was serving as the state’s Public Works Department Secretary. During his tenure, a Malaysian civil engineer named Lee See Been, who was working on a major road upgrade project, died by suicide. Lee was associated with the PATI-BEL consortium, a joint venture contracted to upgrade the MC Road under the Kerala State Transport Project.

Lee left behind a suicide note that reportedly named Kumar. While an initial investigation was conducted, the case was subsequently closed.

Now, the state government is reopening the file. According to a statement from the Home Minister’s office, the new probe was ordered following allegations that "external pressure was exerted and the original inquiry was derailed."

Chennithala has instructed the Vigilance Director to conduct a thorough inquiry into whether outside influence was used to shield officials, and to take "appropriate action" depending on the findings.

Delhi protests demand resignation

As the legal threat re-emerged in the south, political pressure boiled over in the national capital. Protesters from opposition parties and civil society organisations gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding that Kumar step down from his post as Chief Election Commissioner.

The demonstrations in Delhi focused on a separate controversy, with protesters alleging serious irregularities in what they described as the "SIR process" overseen by the election commission.

To control the crowds, Delhi police and the Rapid Action Force set up strict barricades across major access points, including Ashoka Road. Authorities also enforced Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita—the law that succeeded Section 144 of the old criminal code—restricting unlawful assembly in the area.

Before police began detaining demonstrators, several prominent figures were seen leading the protest, including senior advocate Kapil Sibal, activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan, and Neera Bora. Heavy security remained in place throughout the day to prevent protesters from marching further into the high-security zone.