In the wake of growing backlash against Kannur District Collector Arun K Vijayan following the death of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, Revenue Minister K Rajan has said the government will initiate an investigation if a formal complaint is filed against the civil servant.
"We hold Naveen Babu's family close. We will investigate the conspiracy angle if there's a complaint against the Collector," Rajan said. The minister has sought a detailed report from the Kannur District Collector on the matter.
CITU leader Malayalapuzha Mohanan alleged that the District Collector insisted on organising a farewell event despite Naveen's objections. "Naveen resisted the farewell as he still had time left in service. However, the Collector pushed for it and invited P P Divya to the event. How can an uninvited guest speak at the event without the Collector's permission? The possibility of a conspiracy must be examined," he said.
Meanwhile, Naveen Babu's brother, Praveen Babu, expressed partial satisfaction following Divya’s resignation as Kannur District Panchayat President. "I'm relieved that she resigned and is no longer in power," he remarked.
On Thursday, the CPM forced Divya to resign as the panchayat president after police registered a case against her for abetment to suicide, an offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Announcing her resignation via Facebook, Divya stated that she would fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Naveen Babu was found dead at his official residence in Kannur on Tuesday morning. Reports suggest he died by suicide following public humiliation and allegations of corruption by Divya during his farewell event on Monday. Divya had accused Naveen Babu of corruption for allegedly delaying the issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NoC) to Prashanthan, an entrepreneur seeking to open a petrol pump in Chengalayi, Kannur.