ADM's suicide: Kannur court orders further probe on four points, reviving headache for CPM

Kannur: An Additional Sessions Court in Thalassery on Monday ordered the police to conduct further investigation into the death of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, a case in which CPM leader and former Kannur District Panchayat president P P Divya faces charges of abetment of suicide.

The order comes nearly a year and a half after the incident and a day after the Assembly elections were announced in Kerala. The development could once again put the CPM on the defensive in a case that had triggered widespread outrage and dented the image of a leader once seen as a rising face of the party in Kannur.

The court issued the order after Naveen Babu’s wife, Manjusha, approached it, citing 13 alleged lapses in the police investigation. The court directed investigators to examine four specific aspects of the case and submit a report by May 30.

One of the key directions is to examine Divya’s phone records. The court noted that the police had so far analysed only the data from her personal phone and directed investigators to also collect and examine information from her official phone.

The court also asked the police to obtain records relating to the ₹1 lakh allegedly paid as a bribe to Naveen Babu by Prashanth T V. Prashanth, a helper in the electrical section of the Kannur Government Medical College at Pariyaram, had claimed that he applied to the ADM’s office for a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump sanctioned by Bharat Petroleum. According to him, the application was delayed, and he was asked to pay a bribe.

Prashanth alleged that he raised ₹98,500 by pledging gold jewellery and handed the money to Naveen Babu. The court directed investigators to produce documentary proof to substantiate this claim.

The court also ordered further scrutiny of CCTV footage said to show a meeting between Prashanth and Naveen Babu at Pallikkunnu in Kannur, where the alleged payment took place. Investigators have been asked to conduct a more detailed examination of the footage and related evidence.

In addition, the court directed the police to examine how the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau became involved in the matter and to record statements from the officials concerned.

After Naveen Babu was found dead on October 15, 2024, Prashanth claimed that he had sent a complaint via WhatsApp to the Chief Minister on October 10, alleging corruption by the ADM. Copies of the alleged complaint were later circulated on social media by CPM supporters following the officer’s death.

Naveen Babu’s family initially approached the Kannur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court seeking further investigation. The matter was later transferred to the Thalassery Additional Sessions Court, which issued the present order after hearing arguments on three occasions.

Counsel for P P Divya told the court that if further investigation is to be conducted, it should be completed without delay.

Naveen Babu was found hanging in his official quarters in Kannur city on the morning of October 15, 2024. His wife Manjusha and their two daughters were waiting for him at Chengannur railway station at 4 am. That day, he was to take charge as the ADM of Pathanamthitta district, a posting that would have taken him back to his home district and also been his last before retirement.

The previous day, Divya had attended a farewell function organised by revenue officials for the ADM at the Kannur Collectorate.

Divya, who was not invited to the event, gatecrashed into the meeting and publicly accused the officer of delaying the NOC for the petrol pump despite repeated calls from her. She said the approval had finally been granted, but hinted that she knew the circumstances under which it was issued, suggesting corruption. She also said she would reveal details within two days.

The video of Divya's short speech targeting Naveen Babu became viral.

The next morning, on the day Naveen Babu was to assume charge as ADM in Pathanamthitta, he was found dead in his quarters in Kannur.

The incident triggered widespread outrage across Kerala, with opposition parties and employees’ organisations demanding a thorough investigation. His family alleged that Divya's public humiliation forced Naveen Babu to take the extreme step. In a rare move, the CPM’s Pathanamthitta district committee publicly vouched for Naveen Babu’s integrity and called for action against those responsible.

Revenue Minister K Rajan also said the department had not received any complaints against the officer and described him as a responsible official.

Initially, the CPM’s Kannur district leadership said Divya had raised what it called a “well-intentioned criticism of corruption” but had chosen the wrong forum. Within days, however, the party changed its stance and asked her to step down as the district panchayat president.

Divya was arrested by the police and lodged in the Pallikkunnu women’s jail for 11 days before being granted bail on November 8, 2024.

Once seen as a rising political figure and widely tipped as a future Assembly candidate from Kannur district, Divya’s trajectory was abruptly halted by the controversy. With the court now ordering a fresh probe, the case threatens to re-enter the political spotlight just as the CPM prepares for another electoral battle.