The probe report submitted by Joint Commissioner of Land Revenue, A Geetha, to the Kerala state government has concluded that there were no lapses on the part of former Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu while issuing a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump. The report also deemed the bribery allegations against Babu as baseless, putting an end to speculations surrounding his tragic death.
The investigation report was handed over to the Revenue Department Principal Secretary, Tinku Biswal, on Thursday evening, as per a report on Times of India. Confirming receipt of the report, Biswal stated that it comprises a summary of findings along with annexures of relevant files.
According to the report on Manorama, a key finding was that P P Divya, the former Kannur Panchayat President, was not officially invited to the farewell event organized for Naveen Babu by the staff. However, Divya’s farewell speech, which was widely circulated, allegedly raised allegations of corruption against the late ADM.
Meanwhile, the government assured the public that those responsible for the circumstances leading to Naveen Babu’s suicide would face consequences, emphasising its commitment to delivering justice to his family. The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) strongly criticised the government, accusing it of double standards in handling the case.
Leader of the Opposition, V D Satheesan, pointed fingers at the ruling CPI(M), alleging that the party was shielding key figures, including Divya, who allegedly played a role in triggering the former ADM’s suicide, reported PTI. He raised questions about why Divya and Prashanthan, the individual who originally filed the corruption complaint, have not faced any action yet.
Satheesan claimed that a proper investigation would trace the issue back to the CPI(M) headquarters and even the Chief Minister’s Office.
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