Kerala High Court asks state to respond to plea seeking CBI probe into ADM Naveen Babu death case, asks for case diary

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (November 27) directed the investigating officer to prepare a case diary and submit an affidavit regarding the investigation into the death of former ADM Kannur Naveen Babu.

Naveen Babu’s widow had moved the High Court demanding a CBI probe into her husband’s death. The petition was submitted to the Court of Appeal Justice Bechu Kurian Tomasz.

Naveen Babu was found hanged at his official quarters in Kannur on the morning of October 15, 2024. On the previous day of his death, during his farewell, former Kannur Panchayat president PP Divya had reportedly made remarks against ADM, indirectly implying that ADM had accepted a bribe in exchange for consent to the supply of a petrol pump. PP Divya is currently under investigation for abetment to his suicide and is therefore ruled out deposit. The case is currently being investigated by the Special Investigation Team. (SIT).

In her protest, Babu’s wife claims that the “namesake” SIT, which includes officers from the local police station, did not conduct a thorough investigation into the case. He claims that the accused holds an influential political position and that the investigation team is trying to conceal evidence and helping the accused in fabricating it. The petitioner also argued that the possibility of hanging for the purpose of murder could not be ruled out.

The petitioner also sought an interim stay to prevent the police from filing a final report. The Tribunal rejected this request and held that the Tribunal’s powers would not be limited once the final report was submitted.

Special prosecutor Dr KP Satheesan, assisted by advocate Bharath Mohan, appeared before the CBI. The court also issued a notice to the CBI in this regard.

The next post will be published on December 6.

Case Name: Manjusha K v. CBI and others

Case number: WP (Crl) 1297/2024