Former Kerala Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar on Monday rejected allegations that he received a Tata Sierra SUV as a donation in exchange for KSRTC bus purchase deals, saying the vehicle was bought through a bank loan and that no irregularities occurred during his tenure.

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Ganesh Kumar also defended the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation's bus procurement process and attributed differences in purchase prices to changes in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

The clarification comes amid allegations over the prices paid by KSRTC for buses purchased during his tenure as Transport Minister and claims that he received a Tata Sierra from the manufacturer.

Questions raised over bus purchase prices

Ganesh Kumar said claims based on information available on the Parivahan portal could not be treated as conclusive evidence, arguing that vehicle-related data available online may not always be accurate.

He said any discrepancies in prices shown on the portal should be taken up with the authorities responsible for maintaining the database.

“I will not comment based on what is seen on a website. Many details on vehicle-related portals are incorrect and may not necessarily be accurate. Do you have KSRTC documents obtained under the Right to Information Act? Not all information on the Parivahan website is correct,” he said.

The former minister accused certain sections of circulating misleading information and maintained that there had been no wrongdoing in KSRTC during his period in office.

According to him, a Super Fast bus fitted with air suspension was purchased for around Rs 21 lakh, while a Fast Passenger bus with spring suspension cost about Rs 20 lakh.

He rejected allegations that KSRTC had paid nearly Rs 7 lakh more than the actual cost of a bus.

“That is completely contrary to the facts. KSRTC did not purchase buses costing Rs 30 lakh. Procuring buses in two phases benefited the corporation,” he said.

Calls for probe into alleged forged documents

Ganesh Kumar urged the present ruling government to investigate the origin of what he described as forged documents linked to the controversy.

He said authorities should determine how the documents surfaced and whether any officials were involved in providing them.

The former minister also called on the journalist who reported the allegations to verify the source of the records.

“As someone who served in the Left Democratic Front government, I have a responsibility to establish that no corruption took place. That is why I called this press conference,” he said.

He stressed that decisions on KSRTC bus purchases were not taken by the minister alone.

“Buses were procured following decisions involving officials and other stakeholders,” he said.

Denies receiving Tata Sierra as donation

Responding to allegations surrounding his Tata Sierra SUV, Ganesh Kumar said the claims were baseless.

Ganesh Kumar said the SUV was purchased using a loan from Federal Bank and was not received as a donation or gift from the company.

“You can verify the documents. If I wanted to buy a car, I could have done so with my earnings from acting in films. I was not given any discount on the vehicle. I am prepared to face any investigation. If necessary, let the CBI investigate,” he said.

It may be noted that Ganesh Kumar became the first customer in Kerala to take delivery of the newly launched Tata Sierra SUV. Deliveries of the vehicle began across the country earlier this year.

Remarks on election defeat and transport policies

Asked about his recent electoral defeat, Ganesh Kumar said victory and defeat were both part of political life.

He alleged that the Congress and the BJP had reached an understanding in Pathanapuram, which he claimed contributed to his loss.

“I lost because I maintained a secular position. I do not see it as a defeat. If I lost in the name of secularism, it is a moral victory for me,” he said.

He further claimed that Pathanapuram was now represented by a “Congress-BJP MLA”.

Ganesh Kumar also welcomed the government's free travel scheme for women on KSRTC buses, calling it a positive step.

He noted that the proposal had featured in the United Democratic Front's election manifesto and said the coalition was duty-bound to implement it.

On student travel concessions, he said free travel should be extended equally to all students, regardless of gender.

The former minister also referred to complaints that ordinary KSRTC services were being converted into City Fast services and said the allegations should be examined.