Kerala court denies interim bail to Kannur ex-panchayat chief in suicide case

A court in Kerala on Tuesday refused anticipatory bail for former Kannur District Panchayat president PP Divya, who has been accused of making comments that prompted Naveen Babu, an Additional District Magistrate, to commit suicide, Bar and sofa reported.

The (Marxist) member of the Communist Party of India has been accused of complicity in Babu’s suicide.

Babu was found dead at his residence on October 15 morning after a farewell event organized on the eve of his transfer to another district. He would take over as Additional District Magistrate of Pathanamthitta and retire in seven months.

During the event, Divya had leveled allegations of corruption against Babu in the context of the delay in issuing a no-objection certificate for a petrol pump. The district panchayat president had alleged that Babu issued no-objection certificates only after he was bribed.

After being accused of abetting Babu’s suicide, Divya was murdered on October 17 dismissed from her post.

She had filed an interim bail application in the Thalassery Sessions Court.

In her application, Divya said her comments at the farewell event were made in good faith and were not intended to put pressure on Babu. The comments were made to encourage administrative efficiency and address concerns about corruption raised by others. Bar and sofa quoted her application as follows.

Public prosecutor K Ajith Kumar opposed Divya’s anticipatory bail plea, saying the comments amounted to public shaming that could have deeply affected Babu.

The complainant alleged that Divya’s the intention was to shame Babu and pressuring him publicly, The Hindu reported.

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