The former Kannur District Panchayat President, PP Divya, who is on remand in connection with the death of Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, was sent to police custody till 5 pm on Friday. . Though the police had requested a two-day custody, the Kannur First Class Judicial Magistrate Court permitted custody only till Friday evening.
Divya, who was arrested by the police on Tuesday in connection with ADM’s death and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by the Taliparamba Judicial First Class Magistrate Court , has filed bail application in the Thalassery Principal Sessions Court on Wednesday
In her bail plea, she introduced further arguments, contending that the police investigation lacks clarity. She argues, in the plea, that the investigation report references a statement from District Collector Arun K. Vijayan, who noted that Naveen spoke of an unspecified “mistake” prior to his death. The police failed to clarify the nature of this remark, leaving a critical element unexplored.
In this connection, Naveen Babu’s family has indicated their intention to formally oppose Divya’s release on bail.
Meanwhile, Manjusha, wife of late Naveen Babu and a Tehsildar in Konni on Thursday dismissed the statement made by the Kannur District Collector that the ADM had met him (District Collector )in his office after the farewell meeting and admitted that he had made a ‘mistake’. In response to the statement given to the police by Kannur district Collector Arun K Vijayan that the ADM had met him in his office after the farewell meeting and admitted that he had made a ‘mistake’, which was quoted by the Thalassery Sessions Court in its order dismissing former Kannur district panchayat president PP Divya’s anticipatory bail plea , Manjush said that the Kannur Collector is not someone who interacts warmly with employees, which is why no one in the Collectorate believes what he says
“I cannot trust the words of the Kannur Collector, who treats his subordinates poorly. Naveen Babu had no personal connections with him,” Manjusha told a Malayalam news channel. Manjusha stated that she does not trust the Collector’s words concerning Naveen Babu’s death. She said that the decision for the Collector not to visit their home was hers and emphasized her commitment to seeking justice
Meanwhile the statement given to the police by Kannur Collector Arun K. Vijayan, which was quoted by the Thalassery Sessions Court in its order, has become a controversy in the case related to the death of former ADM Naveen Babu
In its order, Thalassery Sessions Court judge has quoted the collector as saying that the ADM had come to his chamber and stated that he had committed a mistake. The court observed that this statement cannot be considered proof of the ADM taking a bribe for issuing a no-objection certificate for a petrol pump.