Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
The Kerala government has decided to hand over the investigation into the death of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision was taken at the state cabinet meeting held on Thursday, following repeated demands from the deceased officer's family seeking a central agency probe into the case.
Alongside the decision to entrust the investigation to the CBI, the government also issued an order granting a dependent appointment to Naveen Babu's daughter, Niranjana.
Reacting to the cabinet decision, Manjusha, wife of the deceased officer, expressed gratitude to the state government for approving the CBI probe. Speaking to the media, she said the family's demand for a central investigation was solely aimed at securing justice and uncovering the truth behind her husband's death.
She rejected allegations that the move was politically motivated and maintained that the family sought an impartial investigation into what they believe requires further scrutiny. Family members stated that a CBI probe would help establish the facts surrounding the case and that those with no involvement in the incident need not fear an independent investigation.
According to the chargesheet filed in the case, CPI(M) leader and former district panchayat president P P Divya has been named as the sole accused. The CP(M) has opposed the state government's decision to transfer the case to the CBI, alleging that the move is politically motivated.
The controversy stems from a farewell function organised for Naveen Babu before his transfer. During the event, P P Divya publicly raised allegations that the ADM had demanded a bribe before issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump project in Chengalayi, Kannur. Divya, who was not officially invited to the function, made the allegations in front of attendees. The applicant for the NOC, Prashanth, had also claimed that an amount of Rs 1 lakh was sought as a bribe.
Following the farewell function, Naveen Babu reportedly declined to take with him the mementos and gifts presented during the event.
Naveen Babu was scheduled to travel to his hometown in Pathanamthitta and had booked a ticket on the 8.55 pm Malabar Express to Chengannur. When he failed to arrive, relatives waiting at Chengannur railway station alerted contacts in Kannur. His driver later checked the ADM's official residence at Palikunnu, where Naveen Babu was found dead.
The case had triggered widespread public and political debate in Kerala, with the family consistently demanding a CBI investigation. The cabinet's latest decision marks a significant development in the case, with the central agency now expected to take over further investigation proceedings.
The article was written by a student interning with TNM.
