Kerala: Court to give verdict on PP Divya's anticipatory bail related to suicide abetment case on October 29
By Deepu Mohan | First Published Oct 24, 2024, 5:33 PM ISTThe Thalassery Principal Sessions Court will announce its verdict on PP Divya's anticipatory bail plea on October 29th. Divya, former Kannur District Panchayat President, is accused of abetting Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu's suicide after publicly accusing him of bribery.
Kannur: The Thalassery Principal Sessions court will announce its verdict on the anticipatory bail plea of PP Divya, in connection with the case surrounding the death of ADM Naveen Babu, on October 29th. During the proceedings, Divya's lawyer argued that the ADM was at fault, while Naveen Babu's family lawyer and the prosecution presented arguments placing the blame entirley on Divya.
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The prosecution contended that Divya's actions amounted to character assassination, emphasizing that her threats and premeditated media involvement contributed to the ADM's distress. They argued that as the second-highest-ranking official in the district, Naveen Babu's character was publicly maligned, leading to his death. The prosecution also pointed out that the Collector stated that Divya had not been invited to the farewell meeting and that her speech contained threatening undertones.
The prosecution highlighted that Divya had no legitimate reason to attend the staff council program and said she had previously complained about the ADM to the Collector, who said in his statement about asking Divya to avoid public statements on the same. The prosecution asserted that public character assassination sends a detrimental message to society and called for Divya's custody for further interrogation, stating that her lack of cooperation is concerning given her position of responsibility. "Divya was holding a responsible position. If people like her starts crucifying officials, what will be state of the society", the prosecution asked.
Family's argument for investigation
Naveen Babu's family's lawyer emphasized that Divya's actions inflicted significant hardship on the ADM, arguing that the dispute was not merely a matter of personal ego. The lawyer also raised concerns about Divya's financial interests, alleging that the petrol pump deal involved benami transactions. He highlighted discrepancies in complaints filed against Naveen Babu, asserting that Divya's behavior was orchestrated to humiliate him publicly.
"Petrol pump permits do not fall under the purview of the District Panchayat President. Divya'svresentment stemmed from the fact that the permit was not granted illegally. The District Panchayat President got up and left during the memento-awarding ceremony with the intention to insult. There is no evidence that the ADM took a bribe and that's why he was humiliated in public. The video of the humiliation went viral, including in Pathanamthitta. The aim was to humiliate him wherever he went. Naveen's decency prevented him from responding to Divya at that venue," the lawyer argued.
The family argued that Divya's conduct constituted a serious crime and underscored the emotional toll on Naveen Babu's daughter, who had to perform her father's last rites, urging the court to consider her suffering over Divya's familial circumstances.
Divya's Defense: Questions of innocence and responsibility
In response, Divya's defense argued that she is a public figure with numerous responsibilities and had resigned upon the emergence of the allegations. Her lawyner claimed that the accusations against her were largely fabricated and her public statements was a stand against corruption. Divya expressed disbelief at the allegations and pointed out that she had been informally invited by the Collector to the farewell meeting.
Her lawyer questioned why Naveen Babu did not object during her speech if he believed her claims were unfounded. They maintained that Divya had merely wished the ADM well and advised him to improve, asserting that such statements could not be linked to his subsequent suicide.
Divya's defense requested that her family circumstances, including her responsibilities as a mother and caregiver, be considered in the bail hearing, emphasizing her readiness to comply with any conditions for anticipatory bail.
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