The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (November 27) ordered the officer who investigated the mysterious death of Kannur ADM Naveen Babu last month to submit the Case Diary and a statement detailing the inquiry before 6th December. The order comes in light of the petition filed by K. Manjusha, the widow of ADM Naveen Babu, who is requesting a CBI investigation into the incident. The court also instructed the officer to notify the CBI.
It may be recalled that ADM Naveen Babu was found dead in his residence after being humiliated by P.P. Divya, a CPM leader and the Kannur District Panchayat President, during his farewell meeting the day before. She delivered a defamatory speech, in the presence of the District Collector, in which she claimed that Naveen Babu had accepted a bribe. Apparently, she was not invited to the programme but attended the venue accompanied by a local TV channel cameraman. The visuals of her speech were widely spread on TV channels and social media. The petitioner informed the court that P.P. Divya, the accused, is a member of the CPM district committee and the state joint secretary of the Janadhipatya Mahila Association, the women’s wing of the CPM. Divya enjoys significant political influence. There are reports that she fabricates stories of bribery with the support of Prashanthan, the man who levelled the allegations against Naveen Babu. It is reported that Prashanthan is a close relation of a senior CPM functionary.
The petitioner had requested an order to prevent the Special Investigation Team (SIT) from submitting the final report until the petition is disposed of, with instructions. However, the bench rejected this and questioned what was wrong with submitting the final report. The SIT cannot be prevented from doing so. Manjusha’s counsel submitted that CCTV footage is unavailable to establish where Naveen Babu was between Divya’s speech and his death. The formation of the SIT did not comply with proper procedures. The current enquiry will only serve to fabricate evidence in support of the accused. Divya’s protocol position is much higher than that of the District Collector, and obviously, the investigating officers are below her in terms of protocol.
Meanwhile, the mere mention of the CBI has caused discomfort within the CPM. The CPM state leadership has abandoned Naveen Babu’s family, as Manjusha Naveen Babu has demanded a CBI inquiry into her husband’s mysterious death. Now, they are backtracking on their previous statement that “CPM stands with the bereaved family.” CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan told the media that there is no need for a CBI enquiry. He reiterated the CPM’s clichéd allegation that the CBI is a “caged parrot.” However, knowledgeable observers understand the real reason behind this statement: they are afraid that a CBI inquiry may implicate senior CPM leaders.
BJP state president K. Surendran said that the state government and the CPM have betrayed Naveen Babu’s family in an unprecedented manner. In the initial days after Naveen Babu’s death, they created a false impression that they were supporting the deceased’s family. Surendran expressed hope that Manjusha Naveen Babu’s request for a CBI inquiry would be granted. Surendran, along with his party colleagues, visited Manjusha Naveen Babu and her daughters to offer their wholehearted support.
