6 hours ago
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The United Democratic Front (UDF) authorities is reportedly examining whether to notation the politically arguable decease by termination of erstwhile Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Kannur K. Naveen Babu to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Naveen Babu’s family, including his woman and ADM, K. Manjusha, and her brother-in-law, Praveen Babu, a lawyer, had precocious called connected Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, and reiterated their request for a CBI enquiry into the politically stormy termination abetment lawsuit successful which the Kerala constabulary had arraigned Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] person and erstwhile Kannur territory president P.P. Divya arsenic the sole accused.
Officials said the authorities has not yet issued a ceremonial notification of consent authorising the CBI to analyse the case. They said it was apt the authorities would question ineligible sentiment and measurement the family’s petition successful the Cabinet.
Health Minister K. Muraleedharan told reporters that Mr. Satheesan had promised justness for the bereaved family. Moreover, helium said the lawsuit had nationalist importance, fixed the family’s accusation that the instrumentality enforcement nether the Left Democratic Front (LDF) authorities had gone the other mile to support the CPI(M)’s Kannur enactment implicated successful the ADM’s death.
'13 anomalies’
Mr. Praveen Babu told reporters successful Pathanamthitta that the household had pointed retired 13 “anomalies” successful the affidavit filed by the erstwhile authorities successful the lawsuit successful the Kerala High Court.
(The prosecution’s lawsuit against Ms. Divya centred astir the allegation that she voiced publically an alleged corrupt intent successful the hold connected the ADM’s portion successful granting authorisation for a substance outlet successful the territory astatine Naveen Babu’s farewell gathering astatine the Kannur territory Collectorate successful October 2022).
Mr. Praveen Babu said the constabulary did not question Prasanthan, who was the applicant for the license. “It did not probe the benami angle. Revenue records relating to Prasanthan’s partners disappeared from the Collectorate,” helium added.
Naveen Babu’s decease had caused a governmental storm, with the UDF, past successful the Opposition, accusing Ms. Divya of publically humiliating the ADM successful beforehand of his colleagues. The UDF besides accused the CPI(M) of duplicity by “falsely declaring” solidarity with Naveen Babu’s household portion elder leaders turned up successful spot to person Ms. Divya upon her merchandise from situation aft she received bail successful the case.
The UDF had besides projected the CPI(M) information of the probe serviceman successful the case, T.K. Retnakumar, arsenic the party’s campaigner from the Kottur municipal ward successful Sreekandapuram municipality successful Kannur successful the section assemblage elections arsenic a telling illustration of the LDF government’s Janus-faced attack successful the case. It had besides demanded that the past Kannur District Collector Arun K. Vijayan beryllium brought nether the ambit of the constabulary probe.
CPI(M) State secretariat subordinate M.V. Jayarajan said the High Court and aboriginal the Supreme Court had rejected the family’s request for a CBI probe and vested spot successful the Kerala constabulary investigation. He termed the UDF’s reported determination to notation the CBI arsenic a “political witch-hunt.”
