KANNUR: The departmental investigation into the death of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu is nearing completion, with the final report expected to be submitted within two days. Addressing a press conference in Thrissur on Sunday, Revenue Minister K Rajan praised Naveen as an “excellent officer” and confirmed the report’s imminent submission.
On Saturday, Land Revenue Joint Commissioner A Geetha, heading the inquiry team, too had hinted the probe was in its final stages. She recorded the statements of Kannur Collector Arun K Vijayan and other key revenue department officials. A revenue official told TNIE that the investigation focused on several aspects, including events surrounding the ADM’s farewell meeting, delays in processing the NOC for the controversial petrol pump, and the status of the corruption allegations against Naveen.
Notably, Arun refuted former district panchayat president P P Divya’s claim that she was personally invited by him to attend the ADM’s farewell function. In her anticipatory bail plea, Divya had alleged that the collector extended the invitation. However, both the collector and the staff council confirmed that the send-off was organised at a pre-scheduled time, with no adjustments made to accommodate Divya.
Adding to the controversy, Arun met with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his residence in Pinarayi on Saturday. The meeting lasted 20 minutes. In light of recent developments, the collector has cancelled all official engagements, including a planned event with the CM in Kannur on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the police investigation team is yet to question Divya and the district collector, drawing criticism from the opposition. Divya’s anticipatory bail plea will be considered by the Thalassery Session’s Court on Monday.
The investigation officer, Kannur Town SHO Sreejith Koderi, said a decision regarding questioning the two will be taken on Monday.
Gangadharan says ADM never sought bribe from him
Kannur: Contradicting the claims by former Kannur district panchayat president P P Divya in her anticipatory bail plea, A Gangadharan, a retired school teacher, clarified that ADM Naveen Babu never sought bribe from him. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Gangadharan, a Kannur native, stated his complaint was related to the stop memo issued by the village office regarding levelling of his land, not about any bribery. “The ADM never asked me for a bribe. I don’t believe he took one from Balakrishnan or Sukumaran, who obtained the stop memos preventing the levelling of my land. I approached him several times to request withdrawal of the stop memo. There was nothing in his conduct that hinted at any demand for a bribe,” he explained.