KANNUR: Kannur Collector Arun K Vijayan, in a statement submitted to the special investigation team probing the death of former Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, revealed that Revenue Minister K Rajan was informed on the same day about the controversial farewell function and the ADM’s subsequent admission of ‘committing a mistake.’ The chargesheet spanning about 480 pages including the statements of 97 witnesses was filed at the Kannur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on March 29, 2025.
According to the collector’s statement, Naveen Babu admitted he had “committed a mistake” during a brief conversation after the farewell meeting on October 14. The collector also said that he had advised Naveen Babu to focus on his relieving process after his scheduled travel, but the ADM appeared concerned about a possible voice recording conducted by former district panchayat president P P Divya, who had raised allegations against him during the farewell meeting.
“Immediately after the farewell meeting, I asked ADM Naveen Babu to join me in the chamber. He sat down and I asked him about the allegations raised by Divya. After a moment of silence, he looked down and said he had ‘committed a mistake.’ I advised him to proceed with his relieving duties after his scheduled travel. He nodded and walked out but paused at the exit, turned back and said he was worried Divya might have a voice recording related to the issue,” the collector stated.
Later that day, at 4.10 pm, Divya called the collector to inform him that a complaint had been lodged with the government against Naveen Babu and that an urgent inquiry was expected. In response, the collector stated that a probe could proceed once a formal complaint from the aggrieved party was received.
“I reached my camp office that evening and at 6.04 pm, I privately called Revenue Minister K Rajan. I informed him of the events at the farewell and the ADM’s admission. The minister said a formal inquiry could be initiated once an official complaint was submitted,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, T V Prasanthan, who had applied for a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a contentious petrol pump project, also gave his version of events. Prasanthan, who claimed to have shared a close friendship with the late ADM, said he met Naveen Babu on the evening of the farewell, believing the ADM sought to mediate issues with Divya. “ADM Naveen Babu was a good friend of mine. I applied for an NOC in January 2024 and received it in March. Since my business is based in Kannur town, he would often meet me for any need,” he stated.
“He asked if I knew Divya. I replied that although she is a relative, I don’t have any personal acquaintance with her. He said ‘okay’ and walked toward his quarters. Only the next day when I learned about the issue did I realise that he may have thought I could mediate by speaking to Divya,” he added.