Published Mar 10, 2026 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 10, 2026 | 7:00 AM
KB Ganesh Kumar, Minister for Transport of Kerala.
Synopsis: Allegations of sexual misconduct against Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar by his second wife Bindu Menon have embroiled the ruling LDF in another controversy ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. Menon accused the minister of misconduct and his staff of assault and claimed the police failed to act despite her calling the emergency helpline. Kumar has denied the charges as a political smear, while the Opposition has questioned the police response and demanded an explanation from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Allegations of purported sexual misconduct against Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar have put the LDF government in an embarrassing spot just months ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
His second wife, Bindu Menon, accused the Kerala Congress (B) president of being found in a situation inside their family home in Valakam that, she said, “no one could even imagine.”
Menon also accused the minister’s personal staff of assault and said that despite dialling the emergency helpline she did not receive police assistance.
Her claim that she had to seek help by contacting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter, Veena Vijayan, has created a political storm, as the government has long championed women’s safety.
The Opposition has demanded an explanation from Vijayan, who also holds the home portfolio, and accused the Left of double standards for not initiating action against the minister and his staff given its stand on former Youth Congress leader Rahul Mamkoothathil.
Ganesh Kumar, however, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and said the people of his constituency, Pathanapuram, would reject the “smear campaign”.
He has represented the constituency since 2001 and is expected to brief Vijayan personally in the coming days as the government weighs its response.
Senior LDF leaders are also assessing the developments, with many within the front acknowledging that the allegations are serious.
The alleged incident took place on Saturday, 7 March, at the minister’s residence in Keezhut, Valakam, in Kollam. The issue first gained widespread attention after KSU state vice-president Yadu Krishnan raised it in a social media post a day later.
Though Menon initially declined to confirm or deny the allegations, she later said the incident took place around 2 pm when she arrived at the house unexpectedly. She said she found the minister in a compromising situation and immediately took photographs on her mobile phone.
Menon said she then contacted her sister-in-law, former ADGP and Sasthamangalam BJP councillor R Sreelekha, and informed her about what had happened. Sreelekha advised her to call the government’s emergency helpline and seek police assistance.
Menon said she then contacted the 112 control room managed by the Thiruvananthapuram Police Headquarters and informed them about the seriousness of the situation.
Police personnel reached the house soon after but, according to her, left without intervening.
She said that soon after the police left, on the minister’s instructions, his driver Shantan and aide Pradeep tried to snatch the mobile phone that contained the photographs.
Menon accused Pradeep of closing the door and holding her hand to prevent her from leaving the house, while Shantan tried to seize the phone. She also said the minister’s staff assaulted her in the attempt.
Fearing for her safety after taking the photographs, Menon said she again sought help and that the police failed to provide protection despite her request.
“The Pink Police who came after I called 112 were not there when I went inside to pack my things,” she said, adding that even taxi drivers were reluctant to come to the minister’s residence.
She said she eventually left the house and reached her home in Palakkad only around 2 am.
“There is no point in giving political colour to my call to Sreelekha. It’s simply as a woman seeking help,” she said, adding that she had informed R Sreelekha about everything.
In his post, Krishnan raised several questions, including whether Menon had caught him in an alleged illicit relationship, whether she collected evidence on her mobile phone, whether attempts were made to seize the device, whether she was assaulted by the minister’s personal staff, and why the police allegedly failed to act despite being alerted through the 112 emergency helpline.
He also asked whether any inquiry had been conducted into the complaint reportedly registered through the emergency number. He has also submitted a formal complaint to the State Police Chief seeking action in the matter.
Menon said the issues between her and Kumar are not new.
She recalled that in 2019 she stayed away from home for three to four months after similar problems. At that time too, she had approached Sreelekha for help.
Menon also said she endured several things silently over the years. According to her, the minister’s remark that he had “5,000 relationships” was deeply hurtful.
“It is an open secret that many women come to Pathanapuram and other places,” she alleged. Menon said the minister had not spoken to her for the past two months and had even blocked her phone.
Menon said she initially remained silent for two days because Kumar is a minister, but chose to speak out after he described her as “crazy”.
Despite making the allegations public, Menon said she has no intention of pursuing legal action and cited her faith as a reason.
“There is evidence of everything I saw that day,” she said, adding that attempts were made to reach a compromise. She said the staff even told her that “Sir had made a mistake” and asked her to forgive him.
According to Menon, after she was escorted out in a car by the minister’s aide Shantan, Kumar went into a room and closed the door. She also said the police told her they had nothing to do with the matter.
At the same time, State Police Chief Rawada Chandrasekhar said the police are examining the allegations.
The controversy has also revived memories of a similar political storm in 2013.
At the time, Kumar was serving as Forest Minister in the cabinet led by Oommen Chandy when his first wife, Yamini Thankachi, accused him of domestic violence and infidelity.
Thankachi submitted a written complaint to the Chief Minister, which was later forwarded to the State Police Chief to register an FIR and begin an investigation.
As the case gathered momentum and police action began, Kumar stepped down from the cabinet, citing moral responsibility.
After the latest allegations surfaced, Kumar brushed them aside, describing them as a politically motivated campaign by the Congress-led UDF and the BJP ahead of the elections.
Speaking to the media, the minister said such claims are not new and had surfaced even in the past.
“This is politics being played by the Congress and the UDF. The BJP is also involved. These stories have no relevance in the Pathanapuram constituency,” he said.
“Everyone has love in life. Some keep it private while others speak about it openly. Love is not a crime,” he said, claiming that even leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee had their own personal lives.
He also said whether the allegations are true or not is a personal matter and should not be politicised.
“I am a good public servant and have never been involved in corruption. The people of Pathanapuram know my X-ray,” he said, expressing confidence that the controversy would not affect his support base.
He also claimed that many of the attacks were coming from “within the house” but said he had nothing to hide.
Kumar said no one had the right to interfere in his personal life, responding to remarks by R Sreelekha.
“If someone has a complaint, they can go to the police. But who is Sreelekha to interfere in this? This is only frustration over not getting the mayor’s post,” he said.
Kumar said the allegations would strengthen his position politically and predicted that he would win the election from Pathanapuram with a larger majority. He also said he has never disrespected any woman and never would.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan on Monday criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, questioning what justice ordinary women in Kerala could expect if even a minister’s wife could not get protection after making a complaint.
He accused the police of failing to act even after reaching the spot despite being informed by the minister’s wife.
“What justice do women in Kerala get if even a minister’s wife cannot get it?” Satheesan said, speaking to reporters in Kozhikode.
He said the police should clarify what action they took after arriving at the scene. “Did they check whether anyone had been attacked? Did they ask if she was injured? Did they attempt to rescue her?”
Satheesan also took a dig at the Chief Minister’s claims about ensuring women’s safety. He said the Chief Minister projected himself as the biggest advocate for women’s safety, but the present incident shows the gap between the claims and reality.
He said the UDF responded only after Menon raised the complaint and rejected allegations that the Opposition was politicising the issue.
“How can the complaint of a woman be dismissed as political propaganda?” he asked.
Satheesan also said the woman had complained of being attacked by members of the minister’s personal staff on his instructions and added that it was alarming that the police, despite arriving there, allegedly made no attempt to intervene.
“If there is no safety even inside one’s own home, what situation will women face outside at night?” Satheesan asked.
