Opposition Congress attacks CM Vijayan for silence on Kannur ADM's death

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 19 (PTI) The opposition Congress in Kerala on Saturday lashed out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan questioning his silence over the alleged suicide of former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu following allegations of corruption leveled against him by CPI (M) leader ) PP Divya.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran and leader of opposition in the state assembly VD Satheesan questioned why the CM remained silent on the issue as he did not even convey his condolences to the family bereaved.

Terming Babu as an honest and good officer, Sudhakaran alleged that the government was dragging its feet in investigating the matter.

Similar allegations were made by Satheesan, who claimed that Vijayan and his office were trying to save the culprits of Babu’s alleged suicide.

He also alleged that the CPI(M) created a fake document to show that Babu was corrupt and save Divya, the former Kannur District Panchayat President.

Satheesan also sought to know why district collector Arun K Vijayan remained silent when Divya publicly made these allegations against Babu.

He alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the charges leveled against the former Kannur ADM.

Divya was booked on Thursday for the offense of abetment to suicide under section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and later in the evening the CPI(M) removed her from the post of Kannur District Panchayat President.

During the day, statements by the Collector and several other collection officials were allegedly recorded by the Joint Commissioner of Land Revenue, A Geetha, who was tasked with investigating the circumstances leading to Babu’s death.

Divya criticized Babu for delaying the approval of a petrol pump in Chengalai by several months and said that he granted approval just two days after he was transferred, implying that she knew the reasons behind this sudden approval.

The official’s death came to light when his wife, a tehsildar, and their children went to Chengannur railway station on Tuesday morning to receive Babu, who was supposed to take over as ADM Pathanamthitta, later in the day.

When he was not found on the train, the family tried to contact him on his cell phone, but received no response. They later contacted their colleagues in Kannur and during the search, they found Babu hanging in his quarters. PTI HMP HMP ROH

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