NEW DELHI, OCT 19
The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala on Friday removed district panchayat president P P Divya on charges of her alleged role in the death of Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the district secretariat of the CPI-M in Kannur on Thursday. Divya will be replaced by K K Rathnakumari. Divya announced her decision to resign from the post of district panchayat president in a Facebook post.
The Kannur police on Thursday registered the case against Divya on charges of abetment to suicide, invoking several non-bailable sections, including 194 Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to 108 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and 174 CrPC to 306, which carry a maximum jail term of 10 years. Meanwhile, Kannur district collector Arun K Vijayan on Friday wrote a letter to the family of Kannur ADM Naveen Babu who died by suicide, expressing his shock and grief over his colleague’s death.
In the letter, the Collector reflected on their eight months of working closely together, describing Babu’s death as an “irreparable loss” that should not have occurred .The letter was personally delivered to Babu’s family by the Pathanamthitta Sub Collector. In the wake of the death of the ADM, the Congress, BJP and CPI-M have raised allegations against the Collector, accusing him of being involved in a conspiracy related to ADM Naveen Babu’s death. Following the funeral in Pathanamthitta, the Collector returned to Kannur but did not report to the office today. Staff at the Civil Station have indicated plans to boycott him if he returns, prompting heavy security deployment in Kannur in anticipation of potential protests. Facing serious allegations connected to the incident, Collector Arun K Vijayan has sought a transfer but was instructed by higher officials to remain in his position in Kannur for the time being.
In this connection, in the wake of growing backlash against Collector Arun K Vijayan following the death of the ADM, Revenue Minister K Rajan said the government will initiate an investigation if a formal complaint is filed against the officer.
“We hold Naveen Babu’s family close. We will investigate the conspiracy angle if there’s a complaint against the collector,” the minister said. Meanwhile, a day after the police registerd a case against P P Divya on charges of abetment of suicide of Babu, she moved an anticipatory bail plea at the Principal Sessions Court in Thalassery.
In the plea filed on Friday, she stated that Collector Vijayan invited her to Naveen Babu’s farewell function and that she spoke with good intentions. In a related development, a police team on Friday recorded the statements of all the staff who were present at the ADM’s farewell function.
Kannur Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu was found dead at his quarters at Pallikkunnu in Kannur on Tuesday. Babu, who was supposed to return to his home district of Pathanamthitta a day earlier to take charge as ADM there, was found hanging in his quarters at Pallikkunnu in Kannur on Tuesday morning.
At his farewell ceremony, Babu faced allegations of wrongdoing from Divya, who reportedly attended the event without an official invitation. It is suspected that this deeply upset Naveen Babu, leading him to take his own life.
