Kerala HC rejects plea for CBI probe in ADM Naveen Babu's suicide, family to appeal

Kochi, Jan 6 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking a CBI probe into the death of Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, who was found hanging at his official residence on October 15.

Minutes after the verdict, Babu’s wife, K. Manjusha, announced plans to appeal the decision. "This is not the end. We will file an appeal with the High Court division bench," Manjusha said.

Babu's brother, Praveen, expressed disappointment with the ruling. "We are not satisfied. While the court has directed a DIG of Police to monitor the investigation with periodic reviews, we expected a CBI probe. We will now approach the division bench or even the Supreme Court if necessary," he said.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government, which had initially pledged support to Babu’s family, opposed the demand for a CBI probe during court proceedings.

Naveen Babu, a reputed and upright officer, was found dead a day after his official farewell from Kannur. The controversy began when P.P. Divya, Kannur District Panchayat President and a CPI(M) leader, attended Babu’s farewell event uninvited and accused him of corruption.

The family alleged that Divya’s remarks were politically motivated and caused immense distress to Babu. Divya, who was later arrested and briefly jailed in connection with the case, resigned from her position amidst mounting criticism.

Manjusha's petition for a CBI probe cited irregularities in the investigation. Her counsel argued that the inquest and postmortem were conducted hastily, without the family's presence. Forceful ligature marks were found on Babu’s neck, requiring scientific examination. Divya’s strong political connections might hinder a fair investigation by the state police.

The Kerala government opposed the plea, asserting that the state police's ongoing investigation was impartial and based on evidence. The government’s counsel argued that the demand for a CBI probe relied on assumptions without substantial proof.

Divya’s corruption allegations against Babu stemmed from a delay in issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump application by T.V. Prasanth, an electrician at the Kannur Medical College.

Notably, Prasanth was reportedly a colleague of Divya’s husband, raising suspicions about personal motives behind the accusations.

Amid the uproar following Babu’s death, Divya went into hiding but was arrested on October 29 after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected. She was released on bail on November 8.