Kannur ADM death: Sessions court denies anticipatory bail to former district panchayat president P.P. Divya

Thalassery Sessions Court in Kerala denies bail to CPI(M) member PP Divua accused of abetting ADM Naveen Babu’s suicide, sparking controversy and legal battle.

The Thalassery Sessions Court on Tuesday (October 29, 2024) denied anticipatory bail to former Kannur district panchayat president and CPI(M) member P.P. Divya who faces charges of abetting the suicide of former Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu. Ms. Divya had raised allegations of bribery against the ADM, who was found dead the morning after his farewell event in Kannur on October 14.

Judge K.T. Nisar Ahammed pronounced the decision on the anticipatory bail.

Ms. Divya’s comments at the farewell event centred on accusations that Naveen Babu delayed the issuance of a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump until a bribe was allegedly paid. This, she argued, was an instance of corruption that demanded accountability.

The remarks, made publicly at the gathering, reportedly created a tense atmosphere, with Ms. Divya alleging that her comments were “necessary to promote administrative efficiency.”

In her bail plea, Ms. Divya contended that her statements were not intended to harm Naveen Babu. She insisted that she was invited to the event by Kannur District Collector Arun K. Vijayan and that her remarks were aligned with her role as a public servant committed to accountability.

According to Ms. Divya, her statements were an effort to highlight the need for integrity within the administration.

The defence team, led by Advocate K. Viswan, argued that Ms. Divya’s comments were intended as “constructive criticism” and were not directed to intimidate or unduly influence the ADM’s mental state. Furthermore, they pointed to previous complaints from individuals named Gangadaran and Prashanth, who had separately raised bribery allegations against Naveen Babu. Divya’s defence argued that her statements reflected these public grievances rather than any personal vendetta.