Kerala govt grants compassionate appointment to daughter of late ADM Naveen Babu

Nearly two years after the death of former Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, the Kerala Government has issued an order appointing his daughter as a Food Safety Officer in the Food Safety Department. The appointment of Niranjana N Nair was made under the Compassionate Employment Scheme.

Niranjana had applied for appointment under the scheme in the Revenue Department or an equivalent post. However, government regulations prescribe an annual family income ceiling of ₹8 lakh for compassionate appointments.

Subsequently, Niranjana's mother, K Manjusha, requested that her daughter be considered for appointment as a Technical Assistant, Food Safety Officer, or Junior Manager (Quality Assurance) in the Food Safety and Civil Supplies Departments.

After examining the matter, the government decided to treat the case as a special one and granted a relaxation from the income ceiling prescribed under the relevant government orders.

Naveen Babu was found dead on October 15, 2024, the day he was scheduled to take charge as the ADM of Pathanamthitta district. The posting to his home district was expected to be his final assignment before retirement. His death became the subject of a major controversy after it implicated PP Divya, a CPM leader and former Kannur District Panchayat president, with abetment charges.

A day before Naveen Babu's death, Divya attended a farewell function organised by revenue officials at the Kannur Collectorate. Though she had not been invited to the event, she entered the venue and publicly accused the officer of delaying the issuance of a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump despite repeated requests from her. While stating that the approval had eventually been granted, she suggested that she was aware of the circumstances under which it was issued, hinting at corruption. She also said she would reveal further details within two days.

Videos of Divya's remarks soon went viral, triggering widespread outrage across Kerala. Opposition parties and employees' organisations demanded a thorough investigation, while Naveen Babu's family alleged that the public humiliation inflicted by Divya had driven him to take the extreme step. 

Amid mounting criticism from opposition parties, the CPM leadership removed Divya from her position as Kannur District Panchayat president. She was later demoted from the party's district committee to its branch committee and stripped of all elected positions within the party.

The case regained momentum after an Additional Sessions Court in Thalassery, on March 16, ordered the police to conduct a further investigation. The order came after Naveen Babu's wife, Manjusha, approached the court citing 13 alleged lapses in the police probe.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Government has also recommended a CBI investigation into the case to the Central Government, acting on a representation submitted by Manjusha.