The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala on Friday defended party leader PP Divya, who is accused of abetting the suicide of former Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu. CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan publicly expressed support for Divya, emphasising that she is a dedicated party member rather than an adversary.
"She is not an enemy of the party. She is a party cadre. When a cadre makes a mistake, the party will correct it and move forward," Govindan stated, as per PTI.
Govindan’s comments came amid reports that Divya would likely be removed from the party's Kannur district committee following the incident. He clarified that the party’s approach was to reform its cadres, not to ostracise them. Furthermore, he saw no issue with party leaders meeting Divya upon her release, asserting that this support was a natural stance, especially as the CPI(M) had already shown solidarity with Naveen Babu's family.
On Friday, Divya was granted bail in the abetment to suicide case by Thalassery’s Principal District and Sessions Judge, K.T. Nissar Ahammed. Previously, Divya’s petition for anticipatory bail had been rejected on October 29, leading to her judicial remand. Divya, a former president of the Kannur district panchayat, filed a regular bail application following her remand, which was eventually accepted by the court.
The controversy surrounding Divya began on October 14, when she allegedly attended ADM Naveen Babu’s farewell event in Kannur without an invitation. At the function, she criticised Babu for his prolonged delay in approving a petrol pump in Chengalai, noting that he had granted approval only two days before his transfer. Her comments hinted that she understood the motivations behind this last-minute approval.
Naveen Babu was found dead in his quarters in Kannur the next day.