CBI to investigate Naveen Babu case; govt to issue notification soon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has decided to hand over the investigation into the death of former Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu to the CBI. The decision was taken after considering a request from Naveen Babu's family. An official notification is expected to be issued soon.

Naveen Babu's family had earlier met Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan and sought a CBI probe into the case. They had expressed dissatisfaction with the police investigation, prompting the government to transfer the case to the central agency. This is reported to be the first case handed over to the CBI by the UDF government. P. P. Divya is the sole accused in the charge sheet filed by the police.

Meanwhile, police recently submitted a further investigation report before the court, adding 13 new witnesses to the case. The additional witness list includes government officials and other individuals connected to the investigation. Investigators also submitted the complete CCTV footage from areas near Naveen Babu's official quarters. The prosecution has requested a scientific examination of the footage to verify its authenticity.

The further investigation was conducted based on a petition filed by Naveen Babu's wife, Manjusha. The Kannur Town Police submitted the report to the trial court after carrying out additional inquiries. As part of the investigation, statements were also recorded from Vigilance officials regarding the allegations that had been raised against Naveen Babu prior to his death. Manjusha had approached the court seeking a further investigation, pointing out 13 alleged flaws in the police charge sheet. Naveen Babu was found hanging in his official quarters on October 15, 2024, shortly after the controversy surrounding allegations made against him.