Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directed the VACB to examine fresh bribery allegations raised by a former contractor against Gyanesh Kumar in connection with a road construction project undertaken under the KSTP nearly two decades ago when the CEC was serving in the southern state, an official source said here on Wednesday.

The development comes amid protests by the Congress and other opposition parties against Chief Election Commissioner Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the country.

In a complaint submitted to the Director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), contractor Sajan, a native of Chadayamangalam in Kollam district, alleged that Kumar, who was the Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary at the time, had demanded a bribe of Rs two crore to release payments for completed work under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).

Sajan alleged that Kumar deliberately withheld cheques for bills worth around Rs 17 crore that had already been approved by engineers, causing financial difficulties for the Malaysian company PATI-BEL and its contractors and workers.

According to the complaint, the company's project engineer, Malaysian national Lee See Been, had told him that Kumar was refusing to release the cheques unless the company paid the demanded bribe.

"When I suggested that they pay something and settle the issue, they told me that the authorities of PATI-BEL were not permitting them to obtain the cheques by paying a bribe," Sajan alleged in his complaint.

Sajan claimed that Lee had used funds from another company project in Bengaluru to settle part of the outstanding payments due to contractors and workers.

He further alleged that the delay in releasing the approved bills and the alleged demand for a bribe had contributed to Lee's suicide in 2006.

The complainant also claimed that Lee had mentioned Kumar's role in a suicide note and that his family members in Malaysia had informed company employees about it.

Sajan said the earlier Vigilance investigation into the incident had failed to question him and other people who had direct knowledge of the alleged bribery demand.

He offered to produce Lee's family members, former company employees and other witnesses to provide evidence.

Based on the complaint, the Vigilance department sought the Home Department's permission to register a case after conducting a preliminary inquiry.

According to sources, Chennithala ordered the preliminary inquiry on the matter after receiving a legal opinion.

The latest complaint is expected to be examined by the Vigilance team which is already conducting a preliminary inquiry into the KSTP allegations, following directions from Chennithala.

The fresh complaint comes after the minister ordered a Vigilance probe on October 4 following a complaint by KPCC leader Malayinkeezhu Venugopal.

The case relates to alleged corruption in the upgradation of the MC Road under the KSTP, which was undertaken by the PATI-BEL consortium. Kumar was serving as the state's PWD Secretary during the period.

A Vigilance inquiry had been initiated in 2006 following Lee's death. However, the investigation was subsequently closed without further action, with the allegations not established, according to reports.

The fresh inquiry is also expected to examine whether the earlier investigation had failed to look into crucial aspects of the allegations.

The allegations against Kumar have not been established, and the Vigilance inquiry is expected to examine the claims.

CEC Kumar has not responded to the allegations so far.