THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nearly two decades ago, Gyanesh Kumar was in the eye of a storm in Keralam after being named in the suicide note of a Malaysian project officer. Amid protests against the CEC, his controversial Keralam tenure as the works secretary has resurfaced with senior CPM leader T M Thomas Isaac revisiting the case in a social media post.
Isaac, who was finance minister during the 2006-11 period, recalled that the then public works department (PWD) secretary Gyanesh Kumar was among the officials named in the suicide note of Malaysian official Lee Been Seen. Lee was in charge of the Keralam operations of PATI-BEL, a joint venture between Malaysian firm PATI and Bhageeratha Constructions for a road project in the state. In November 2006, Lee died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur allegedly after returning from Keralam.
According to Isaac’s account, Lee’s suicide note detailed allegations of corruption, mismanagement and harassment by PWD officials, with Gyanesh Kumar among those prominently named. The note also reportedly alleged that bribes had been demanded. The allegations led to a vigilance inquiry and Gyanesh Kumar was transferred out of the PWD before the end of 2006. He subsequently moved to the Union defence ministry. According to Isaac, Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure there helped him enter the good books of the BJP government.
Isaac claimed that the project, originally estimated at `216 crore, ultimately required at least `330 crore for completion. He linked the payment delays and alleged harassment of the contractor to Lee’s suicide, describing his death as a consequence of the treatment meted out to the company by government officials.
Isaac said the project was delayed primarily due to problems in land acquisition, with the contractor and PWD trading allegations over responsibility for the slow progress.
“The department’s negligence left the entire blame on the Keralam government. I am not sure whether the vigilance department still has records of the inquiry, as old files are generally destroyed. This happened 20 years back. Maybe, the Malaysian company also didn’t pursue the case,” Isaac told TNIE.
“I have not personally read Lee Been Seen’s suicide note, but allegations of bribery and demands for money by officials were being discussed at the time. Gyanesh Kumar was among those named in the allegations,” he added.
Following the death, though the state vigilance department carried out an investigation, it didn’t reach anywhere due to jurisdictional issues and a lack of interest from officials.
Senior police officers who served during the time, feigned ignorance about the outcome of the case. “The vigilance carried out an inquiry. However, it didn’t reach anywhere. Back then, the government machinery was not very keen on pursuing the case despite public outcry,” a retired top cop said.
At the time, the controversy had rocked Kerala’s infrastructure sector. The death triggered a political storm over allegations of irregularities and the government’s handling of payments to the contractor.
Isaac revisits 2006 incident in FB Post
Malaysian national Lee Been Seen, who was in charge of Keralam operations of a joint venture for a road project in the state, died by suicide in 2006.
In an FB post on Friday, Isaac, who was finance minister in 2006-11, said Lee’s suicide note detailed allegations of harassment by PWD officials, with then secretary Gyanesh Kumar also named.
A vigilance inquiry followed and Gyanesh was transferred out of PWD before the end of 2006. The probe didn’t reach anywhere due to jurisdictional issues and lack of interest from officials.
