The Kerala High Court on Monday rejected a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of former Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, who was found dead in his government quarters in October last year.
A division bench of Justices PB Suresh Kumar and Jobin Sebastian dismissed the petition filed by Babu’s wife, Manjusha, stating that personal feelings alone could not justify transferring the case from the state police to the CBI.
Court’s Observations
The court noted that transferring investigations based solely on personal sentiments could set a precedent that might erode public trust in the legal system. “If such requests are entertained, the public would think the system can be easily swayed by outside influence and consequently lose faith in the normal legal process,” the bench observed.
The court also pointed out that the case did not involve allegations against top state officials or police authorities, nor did it appear to be one where an external agency like the CBI would be in a better position to conduct a fair and impartial investigation.
Background of the Case
Naveen Babu, a revenue officer, was found dead on October 15, a day after CPM leader and then Kannur district panchayat president PP Divya accused him of accepting a bribe for issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a fuel station. Divya was subsequently arrested and spent 11 days in custody before securing bail.
The Kerala police had assigned a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Kannur Town Inspector to probe the case. However, Babu’s wife, Manjusha, challenged the investigation’s credibility, alleging that the accused had political connections that could influence witnesses. She initially moved the high court in December 2023, requesting a CBI probe. Her petition was first dismissed by a single-judge bench on February 6, following which she appealed to the division bench.
Manjusha Expresses Disappointment
Following the court’s rejection of her appeal, Manjusha expressed disappointment with the verdict. “We had hoped that our request for a CBI probe would be approved. But we are disappointed by today’s verdict. We will consult our legal counsel and decide our next course of action,” she told reporters.
Sources By Agencies
