Thiruvananthapuram: According to Kannur District collector Arun K Vijayan’s statement attached to the investigation report by Land Revenue Joint Commissioner A Geetha, the former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu’s remark that a ‘mistake happened,’ does not imply an admission of bribery. The remark was made after his farewell event in the presence of Collector Vijayan,  The report emphasizes there was no undue delay in issuing the NOC for a petrol pump.

The statement also notes that Naveen Babu himself had approached and admitted to ‘mistakes,’ though the collector does not clarify the context of the comment. According to Vijayan, Naveen Babu attributed the delay to technical issues. The report clarifies that interpreting Naveen Babu’s “mistake” statement as corruption is incorrect. Collector Vijayan also confirmed that several calls were made from District Panchayat President P.P. Divya’s office to his office before the farewell event.

Delay in NOC

Joint Commissioner Geetha reviewed six previous NOC files, showing similar processing times, with only minor differences in timing for the disputed file. The ADM had sought a report from the town planning department before issuing the NOC, with delays arising from the time taken to receive this report.

The report is currently under review by the Chief Minister. Since no one has been implicated, action against revenue officials is unlikely. Neither the Revenue Secretary nor the minister has recommended disciplinary action, and further steps are expected only after the police investigation concludes, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.

Meanwhile, the government had initially considered transferring Kannur Collector Arun K Vijayan. However, the by-election code of conduct has delayed further action, leaving the matter in uncertainty.