Congress hits out at Kerala CM Vijayan over silence on Kannur ADM’s death

PTI, Oct 20, 2024, 9:44 AM IST

Thiruvananthapuram: The opposition Congress in Kerala has slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by questioning his silence on the alleged suicide of former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu following corruption allegations levelled against him by CPI(M) leader P P Divya.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan both questioned why the CM was silent on the matter as he did not even convey his condolences to the bereaved family.

Terming Babu as an honest and good officer, Sudhakaran alleged that the government was dragging its feet on investigating the matter.

Similar allegations were made by Satheesan who claimed that Vijayan and his office were trying to save the culprits behind the alleged suicide of Babu.

He also contended that the CPI(M) created a fake document to show Babu was corrupt and save Divya, the former Kannur District Panchayat President.

Satheesan also sought to know why District Collector Arun K Vijayan kept silent when Divya publicly made those allegations against Babu.

He alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the allegations made against the former Kannur ADM.

Divya was on Thursday booked for the offence of abetment of suicide under section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and by late that night the CPI(M) removed her from the post of Kannur District Panchayat President.

During the day, statements of the Collector and various other officials of the collectorate were reportedly recorded by Land Revenue Joint Commissioner A Geetha, who has been tasked with looking into the circumstances that led to the death of Babu.

Divya had criticised Babu for delaying the approval of a petrol pump in Chengalai for several months and said he granted approval only two days after being transferred, hinting that she knew the reasons behind this sudden approval.

The death of the official came to light when his wife, a tehsildar, and their children went to Chengannur railway station on Tuesday morning to receive Babu, who was supposed to take charge as ADM Pathanamthitta, later in the day.

When he was not found on the train, the family tried to reach him on his mobile phone, but it went unanswered. They subsequently contacted his colleagues in Kannur, and during their search, they found Babu hanging in his quarters.