Culprits behind ADM Naveen Babu's suicide won't go scot-free: Kerala govt

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 24 (PTI) The Kerala government on Thursday said that the culprits responsible for the suicide of former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu, which has triggered a political row in the state, will not go scot-free and his family will get justice.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan said that he knew Babu as an upright officer and never received a complaint about him.

"I made it clear right from the start that he (Babu) was an honest officer and I stand by that view," he said.

"Let me make it clear, the culprits will not escape," he said.

Rajan said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's remark a day ago that no official should suffer such an ill-experience in the state indicates the government's stand.

CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam also aired a similar view by saying that the LDF government in Kerala will not protect the culprits and that is what the CM indicated a day ago.

"The culprits have to be punished and they will be punished. That is the LDF view. So wait and see," he said.

Meanwhile, Kerala Women's Commission chairperson P Sathidevi visited Babu's family during the day.

After that, speaking to reporters, she said that the investigation into the matter was going on and the family will get justice.

She also said that she has not received any complaint regarding the issue.

Babu's suicide, occurring hours after CPI(M) leader P P Divya's remarks linking him to corruption during the send-off meeting organised at the district collectorate in Kannur, has sparked a political uproar in the southern state.

Divya had alleged that he was involved in corrupt practices related to sanctioning an NOC for a petrol pump in Kannur district.

Attending his send-off function uninvited on October 14, Divya criticised Babu for delaying the approval of the petrol pump in Chengalai for several months and remarked that he granted approval only two days after being transferred, hinting that she knew the reasons behind the sudden approval.

The next day, Babu was found dead at his quarters in Kannur.

Amidst the raging row over his death, the Marxist party removed Divya as president of the Kannur district panchayat. PTI