In a significant development, the widow of Naveen Babu, the former Additional District Magistrate of Kannur, has petitioned the Kerala High Court to mandate a CBI or Crime Branch investigation into her husband’s death. Manjusha K, expressing dissatisfaction with the current investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), argued that the probe lacked impartiality and thoroughness.
The plea follows a dismissal last month by a single judge of the High Court, who ruled against a CBI investigation into Babu’s alleged suicide. The court had instructed the SIT to explore not only the suicide angle but also the possibility of homicidal hanging, responding to the concerns raised by Babu’s widow about the circumstances of his death.
During the court proceedings, Manjusha K highlighted concerns regarding the neutrality of the SIT, pointing out that the accused in the case, P P Divya, a former Kannur District Panchayat President and CPI(M) leader, has close ties to the ruling political party. This connection, she argued, could potentially influence the fairness of the investigation.
Naveen Babu’s death came under suspicious circumstances after Divya publicly accused him of corruption at his farewell function. She alleged that Babu delayed the approval of a petrol pump project, only to sanction it two days after his transfer from the district—an action she insinuated was corrupt. The allegations and the subsequent charges led to heightened scrutiny and public controversy, culminating in Babu’s untimely death, which was initially reported as a suicide.
Divya was arrested following these events after her request for anticipatory bail was denied, although she was later granted regular bail.
