The preliminary report of the vigilance investigation into the death of former Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu reportedly states that there is no evidence to prove that T V Prashanth paid a bribe to Naveen Babu.
The investigation was conducted by the vigilance special SP, Kozhikode .
According to the report released by a Malayalam news channel, the vigilance has found no evidence beyond Prasanth’s statement that he paid a bribe to the ADM to get No Objection Certificate ( NOC) to start a petrol pump at Chengalai in the Kannur district. It also says that Prasanth was not able to provide evidence to prove that he bribed Babu .
However, there is evidence corroborating some of Prasanth’s statements, the vigilance report says. There is evidence for pledging the gold and Prasanth reaching the ADM’s official quarters. But there is no evidence of what happened after Prasanth reached the ADM’s quarters, the report says.
The vigilance reported that Prasanth provided proof for pledging gold on October 5. Prasanth and Naveen Babu spoke over phone on October 6 for four times. The meeting between the two took place after these calls. The NOC for the petrol pump was issued on October 10,the report says
The report further says the vigilance recorded the statement of Prasanth on October 14.The controversial farewell meeting was held on that evening.Naveen Babu was not aware of the recording of the statement of Prasanth . ADM Naveen Babu was found dead in his official quarters on October 15 morning