Kerala minister defends vigilance inquiry into 2006 PWD case

The inquiry, ordered by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, focuses on alleged irregularities during Kumar’s time as the state’s Public Works Department Secretary. The case centers on the 2006 death of Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been, who was working on the MC Road upgrade project. A suicide note left by the engineer reportedly implicated Kumar, sparking initial scrutiny that critics claim was suppressed at the time.

Muralidharan dismissed suggestions that the revived probe is politically motivated, noting that complaints originated from both ruling and opposition parties during Kumar’s tenure. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has been directed to examine whether the original preliminary inquiry was compromised by external pressure. The Home Department has since recalled all files related to the 2006 investigation to determine if procedural interference occurred.