Kannur(Kerala), Oct 24 (PTI) CPI(M) leader P P Divya, accused of abetting the suicide of former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu, on Thursday told a court here that her remarks against him were based on complaints of corruption she had received regarding him.
Divya’s lawyer also told the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge K T Nissar Ahammed that the Kannur District Collector had informed her about the farewell ceremony for Babu and asked whether she would be there, to which she had replied in the affirmative.
The arguments were made during the hearing of Divya’s anticipatory bail plea, in which the court will pronounce its order on October 29.
Giving some details of the arguments, the lawyer — advocate Viswan K — told the reporters that he made a submission in court that his client would appear before the police if she was summoned by the investigating officer.
“We have made our arguments. Let us wait for the court’s order,” he said.
The lawyer for Babu’s family said that he as well as the prosecution opposed the bail plea of Divya, who was removed from the post of District Panchayat President by the CPI(M) after she was booked for abetting the ADM’s suicide.
The lawyer added the prosecution strenuously opposed the bail plea on various grounds, including that Divya’s act of making those allegations was “pre-planned,” she could manipulate evidence, and she was not cooperating with the Revenue Department’s probe.
He also told reporters that the prosecution told the court there were no corruption complaints against Babu.
The lawyer also said that the prosecution submitted the Kannur District Collector’s statement as per which Divya was never invited to the ceremony and that he had requested her not to make any corruption allegations at the event.
Divya had alleged that Babu was involved in corrupt practices related to sanctioning an NOC for a petrol pump in Kannur district.
Attending his send-off function allegedly uninvited on October 14, Divya had 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. PTI HMP HMP SA
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