States » SouthPosted at: Nov 4 2026 9:48AM


Fresh complaint seeks Vigilance probe into Rs 2 crore bribe demand by Gyanesh Kumar in KSTP project

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 4 (UNI) A complaint filed before the Vigilance Director has sought a fresh and comprehensive investigation into serious allegations of bribery against Gyanesh Kumar, the present Election Commissioner of India, in connection with a road construction project undertaken by Malaysian company Pathibel under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) in 2004.
The complainant, Sajan, a contractor who had supplied construction materials for the project, alleged that Kumar had demanded a bribe of Rs two crore for releasing payments due to the company for completed works and that the alleged withholding of funds had contributed to the suicide of Pathibel's Malaysian Project Engineer, Leesy Bean.
Pathibel had secured a road construction contract worth approximately Rs 215 crore, with a stipulated execution period of three years. However, delays in land acquisition hampered the progress of the project, while payments for completed works were allegedly not released on time, leaving contractors and workers facing mounting financial difficulties.
More than 100 employees were accommodated at the company's Chadayamangalam camp. As payments remained pending, contractors and workers repeatedly approached Leesy Bean and Assistant Project Director Sukumaran, both Malaysian nationals, seeking settlement of their dues.
According to Sajan, who claimed to have maintained close personal relations with both officials, they had informed him that several bills had been passed by KSTP engineers but the corresponding cheques were being withheld by Gyanesh Kumar, who was then associated with the project. They had allegedly told him that Kumar was demanding Rs two crore as bribe for releasing the payments.
The company management, however, was reportedly unwilling to authorise any bribe payment, they had told him.
Sajan further stated that, following pressure from contractors and workers, Leesy Bean had arranged funds from another Pathibel project in Bengaluru to settle part of the outstanding payments, including the amount due to him. The money was advanced on the understanding that it would be repaid after the pending KSTP bills were cleared.
He said his subsequent interaction with KSTP engineers confirmed that three or four bills had already been passed, but the corresponding cheques had not been released. Leesy Bean had allegedly told him that the payments, amounting to nearly Rs 17 crore, were being withheld because the company had not agreed to the alleged demand for Rs two crore.
The complaint has also identified several persons who could provide crucial information in a fresh investigation. They include Shahjahan, a former close associate of Leesy Bean from Chadayamangalam who is now residing in Adoor; Shine, who had worked closely with the Malaysian engineer and was subsequently taken to Malaysia for employment; and Jayaprakash, the company's then Senior Commercial Manager.
Sajan pointed out that his residence was the only place near the project site with a landline telephone at the time and that Leesy Bean used his telephone to contact the company's office in Thiruvalla.
The complainant alleged that an earlier Vigilance investigation into the incident had not properly examined the allegations concerning the demand for bribe and the withholding of payments.
He further claimed that Leesy Bean's suicide note had specifically mentioned Gyanesh Kumar among those allegedly responsible for his death. The engineer's family members in Malaysia had conveyed this information, which was reportedly known to several employees who worked with the company at the time.
Sajan expressed willingness to facilitate the appearance of Leesy Bean's family members and former employees of Pathibel before the investigating authorities to substantiate the allegations.
The complaint also alleged that the delay in releasing payments had resulted in substantial additional financial liability to the government, claiming that the state had incurred an additional expenditure of around 40 per cent.
Maintaining that the roads constructed by Pathibel under Leesy Bean's supervision continued to be of better quality than several other roads, Sajan urged the Vigilance Director to order a detailed investigation into the entire episode and initiate appropriate proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
UNI DS
Tags: #Fresh complaint seeks Vigilance probe into Rs 2 crore bribe demand by Gyanesh Kumar in KSTP project
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