Editorial: Police Expose Themselves In Naveen Babu Case

The arrest of former Kannur district panchayat president PP Divya has brought a sense of relief to those disturbed by the alleged suicide of former additional district magistrate Naveen Babu. Following the police’s filing of an abetment case against Divya, her immediate arrest for custodial questioning seemed not only logical but also necessary. Instead, police waited 15 days and acted only after the court denied her anticipatory bail, citing concerns she might influence witnesses. The discreet manner of her arrest hints at an effort to shield her from public view, likely due to her prominence as a CPM leader in Kannur, a stronghold of the ruling party to which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also belongs.

Naveen Babu’s family has raised serious concerns, alleging that the post-mortem was conducted in undue haste. They point to circumstantial evidence suggesting that this may not have been a suicide but rather a murder. The individual who falsely claimed that Naveen Babu took a bribe of Rs 98,500 remains at large, further fuelling suspicions. Moreover, questions about how the entrepreneur, a government employee earning less than Rs 30,000 per month, could afford investments between Rs 2-4 crore in a petrol pump project remain unanswered. Additionally, how the district collector allowed Divya to attend Naveen Babu’s farewell meeting, where she defamed him, raises questions about the administration’s stance.

For an impartial investigation, a Central agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is essential. Only then can the real circumstances around Naveen Babu’s death be thoroughly examined and justice ensured. An independent probe is critical to restore faith in the process, especially when the local police’s handling suggests potential bias due to Divya’s political connections. A CBI inquiry would address the unanswered questions surrounding this case and ensure that justice is served without influence or interference.