THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The departmental investigation report prepared by Land Revenue Joint Commissioner Geetha A is expected to be submitted today concerning the suicide of ADM Naveen Babu. The report is likely to be forwarded to the Revenue Minister without including the statement of PP Divya, who has been accused in the case.
Geetha, who returned to the capital after concluding the departmental inquiry, was occupied with finalizing the report yesterday. Sources indicate that the report suggests there was no wrongdoing by ADM Naveen Babu regarding the issuance of the NOC for a petrol pump. With the Cabinet meeting scheduled for today, the Revenue Minister had instructed the Joint Commissioner to submit the report prior to the meeting. However, it is unclear whether the report will be presented to the Cabinet for review.
Revenue Minister K Rajan previously expressed support for Naveen Babu, describing him as an exemplary officer. Despite this, Prasanthan, the individual who applied for the petrol pump, claimed in a statement to the Joint Commissioner that Naveen Babu had accepted a bribe. The report is also expected to be critical of Kannur Collector Arun K. Vijayan.
Minister Rajan: No one will be shielded
Revenue Minister K. Rajan stated that no conclusions will be drawn based solely on media reports. Further action will be taken after the inquiry report is received, and there will be no interference to protect anyone involved. The minister assured the media that a comprehensive investigation is underway.
Further evidence suggests that the bribery allegations against Naveen Babu may be fabricated. Discrepancies were found between the signature on Prasanthan's petrol pump application and the signature on the bribery complaint. The signature on the application matches the one on the land agreement, whereas the signature on the bribery complaint appears to be different. Additionally, in both the application and the lease agreement, the name is given as "T V Prashanth," while the name is locally pronounced as "Prashanthan" by acquaintances in Kannur. This raises suspicions that the complaint may have been prepared hastily by someone else, leading to the mistake.