Kerala Cabinet recommends CBI probe in Naveen Babu death case

A CBI inquiry into the death of Kannur Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu in 2024 was recommended by the Kerala government on Thursday.  The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister V D Satheesan.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Satheesan said the Cabinet had recommended a CBI probe to the Central Government, considering the representation submitted by the late Naveen Babu's wife.

In addition, the Cabinet directed the Revenue Department to take steps to provide a job on compassionate grounds to Babu's daughter.

His family sought the chief minister's intervention because they were dissatisfied with the police investigation into the case, which triggered a political controversy in Kerala in 2024.

Babu was found dead at his official residence in Kannur on 14 October 2024, a day after former Kannur District Panchayat President P P Divya allegedly made corruption allegations against him at a public farewell function held at the Kannur District Collectorate. Divya is the sole accused in the case.

Facing criticism from the then-Opposition parties, the CPM leadership in Kannur had removed Divya from her post.

She was later demoted from the party's district committee to its branch committee and stripped of all elected positions within the party.