The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea filed by the wife of late Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into his death.
The Court upheld the decision of the Kerala High Court, which had earlier refused to order a CBI investigation, finding no substantial reason to transfer the case from the state police.
Background
Naveen Babu, a senior bureaucrat with over 30 years of service, was nearing retirement and was scheduled to be transferred from Kannur to his home district. A farewell event was organized in his honor shortly before his planned relocation.
At the event, PP Divya, a leader of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), allegedly made damaging public remarks accusing Babu of corruption. A video of the incident later circulated widely, causing Babu emotional distress. Despite this, he instructed his driver to pick him up early the next morning, suggesting he intended to travel as planned. He was found dead in his official residence on October 15, 2024, in what appeared to be a case of suicide by hanging.
Wife Alleges Foul Play
Babu’s wife raised suspicions over the circumstances of his death and alleged a possible homicidal angle. She claimed that Divya’s political connections could influence the investigation and demanded a probe by an impartial agency such as the CBI.
She initially moved the Kerala High Court with a writ petition seeking a CBI investigation. However, the High Court dismissed the plea on February 6, observing that mere political links of an accused do not justify a transfer of investigation, and no material flaws were shown in the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.
Following this, she filed a writ appeal, arguing that the SIT’s investigation was inadequate and could be compromised due to political pressure. She stressed that the case was exceptional and warranted an independent inquiry. The Division Bench of the High Court, however, also rejected this appeal on March 3, noting that emotional distress or dissatisfaction with an investigation does not meet the legal threshold to transfer a case to the CBI.
Court’s Final Word
Challenging the High Court verdict, the petitioner approached the Supreme Court. During the hearing, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia remarked, “Just because someone made remarks at a public event doesn’t mean one would commit suicide.” The bench concluded that there was no legal basis to interfere with the High Court’s findings or to order a CBI investigation.
With the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the plea, the investigation into Naveen Babu’s death will continue under the Kerala police.