India, Oct. 6 -- The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) inquiry that Keralam home minister Ramesh Chennithala ordered on October 4 against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is linked to the World Bank-funded Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP), a road-upgrade programme from Kumar's years as secretary of the state's Public Works Department (PWD).

Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer of the Keralam cadre, headed the PWD when it awarded and oversaw work on the project. The allegations first surfaced in 2006 and led to a preliminary VACB inquiry that year, which the new inquiry will continue.

Chennithala said he ordered it after taking legal advice and consulting chief minister VD Satheesan.

The complaint comes from a C...