Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday ordered a fresh Vigilance inquiry into allegations involving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during his 2006 tenure as the state’s Public Works Department Secretary.

The order follows a petition by Congress leader Malayinkeezhu Venugopal. The case centres on Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been, who died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur in November 2006 after returning from Kerala. Lee was associated with the PATI-BEL consortium upgrading MC Road under the Kerala State Transport Project, and his purported suicide note reportedly named Kumar, who was then PWD Secretary.

The fresh probe will examine whether external pressure derailed the original 2006 Vigilance inquiry. The state Home Department has sought all files relating to the earlier probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, according to IANS.

Chennithala said the allegations of external influence were serious and directed the Vigilance Director to conduct a thorough inquiry. No conclusions about Kumar’s conduct have been drawn at this stage, and the government noted the reported mention in the purported note is not a finding of wrongdoing.