Kerala ADM's suicide amid graft charges sparks political turmoil

The alleged suicide of a senior district administration official in Kannur, amid corruption allegations, has sent ripples through the state's political landscape, with opposition parties mounting pressure on the Left government for accountability.

The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party have united in their demands, calling for the immediate resignation and arrest of P P Divya, a Communist Party of India-Marxist leader and district panchayat president, who leveled graft accusations against ADM Naveen Babu at his send-off function organised by colleagues at the Kannur district collectorate.

Divya allegedly attended the function uninvited. The opposition parties allege that Babu took the extreme step after being insulted by Divya at his farewell function, which was also attended by the Kannur district collector.

While BJP and Youth Congress activists held separate protest marches to Divya's residence in Kannur, B S Shiju, the chairman of the Kerala unit of the All India Congress Committee's research wing, wrote to the Centre demanding the cancellation of the petrol pump allotment linked to the corruption allegations against Babu.

Shiju wrote to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of State for Petroleum Suresh Gopi and BPCL CMD G Krishnakumar seeking cancellation of the allotment of the petrol pump.

Subsequently, Gopi's office informed Shiju that concerned officials have been instructed to look into the demand for cancellation of the allotment.

Divya had levelled corruption allegations against the ADM in connection with the approval he gave to the petrol pump.

Following her allegations, ADM Babu was found hanging in his quarters on the next day.

Shortly after that, T V Prashanthan, who received the approval, alleged that he had paid Rs 98,500 to the ADM who had demanded Rs one lakh to grant NOC for the pump.

Prashanth also alleged that he had sent a complaint in this regard to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Referring to Prashanthan's allegations, Shiju said giving and receiving bribes were both punishable offences.

"The public nature of Prashanthan's complaint raises serious concerns about the integrity of the allotment process. In this case action should be taken to cancel the allotment as soon as possible," he demanded.

Shiju as well as the Congress have also alleged that Prasanthan has close ties with Divya's husband and that she forced officials to expedite the grant of a permit for the petrol pump despite it violating various security guidelines.

Earlier in the day, workers of both the BJP and the Youth Congress (YC) held separate protest marches to Divya's residence, which, apart from the police, also had protection from CPI(M) members.

The protestors were stopped almost a km away from her home by police barricades.

Some YC members were also taken into custody by the police.

Revenue officials protested at the Pathanamthitta District Collectorate over the death of the ADM and the allegations made against him by Divya.

The officials said that Babu was an honest and hardworking person and they were also looking forward to working with him once he took charge as ADM of Pathanamthitta.

"However, tragic news is what we got," one of the protestors told media.

The day also saw the Kerala State Human Rights Commission initiating a case on a complaint seeking action against Divya.

The Commission's judicial member, K Byjunath, issued a notice to the district administration and directed the District Collector and District Police Chief to investigate the matter and file a report within two weeks.

Meanwhile, the ADM Babu's brother said there was some mystery behind his death, and the family wants to know what it was.

"We have our suspicions. Why are these two people making such allegations all of a sudden now? We want to know the conspiracy behind it. I have given a complaint to the police in Kannur. If no action is taken, we opt for the legal route. It is clear the allegations hurt him," the brother told reporters at their home in Pathanamthitta district.

Later in the afternoon, the ADM's body was brought back to his home in Pathanamthitta district.

The Pathanamthitta District Collector said the body will be kept on public display on Thursday morning for everyone to pay their last respects and the last rites will be carried out later that same day.

At his farewell ceremony organised by his colleagues and attended by District Collector Arun K Vijayan, the ADM faced allegations of corruption from Divya, who allegedly attended the event without an official invitation.

The death of the official 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 charge as ADM Pathanamthitta, later in the day.

When Babu was not found on the train, the family tried to reach him on his mobile phone, but it went unanswered.

They subsequently contacted his colleagues in Kannur, and during their search, they found Babu hanging in his quarters.