Kerala Cabinet Seeks CBI Probe Into ADM Naveen Babu’s Death

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cabinet on Thursday recommended a CBI inquiry into the death of Kannur Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu, who died by suicide in 2024. The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan.

Addressing the media about the decision, the Chief Minister said the CBI probe was recommended to the Central Government after considering a petition submitted by Naveen Babu’s wife, Manjusha. The Cabinet also instructed the Revenue Department to take steps to provide a job on compassionate grounds to Naveen Babu’s daughter.

Babu was found dead at his official residence in Kannur on October 14, 2024, just a day after former Kannur District Panchayat President P. P. Divya allegedly made corruption allegations against him during a public farewell function at the Kannur District Collectorate.

He took the drastic step, reportedly unable to handle the humiliation he faced at the public event.

Divya is the sole accused in the case. Following public outrage, she was removed from the district panchayat president’s post, demoted from the party’s district committee to a lower-level branch committee, and stripped of all elected positions within the party.