Kannur: Kannur District Collector Arun K. Vijayan has been excluded from the investigation team probing the death of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu. The decision to transfer him from the case was taken following instructions from Revenue and Housing Minister K Rajan. Joint Commissioner of Land Revenue, A. Geetha, has been assigned to lead the investigation. 

The family of Naveen Babu had earlier raised concerns against Arun K. Vijayan. They alleged that the Collector and the ADM had a strained relationship, which was highlighted in their statement to the investigating team in Kannur. Naveen Babu had reportedly faced strict restrictions regarding his leave, and there were delays in executing his transfer, even after the order was issued.

PP Divya, the former president of Kannur District Panchayat claimed in her bail petition that she attended Naveen Babu's farewell meeting only because she was invited by Collector Arun K. Vijayan. In her petition, she said that she had no intention of insulting the ADM and was named as accused out of political interest. Her bail petition also states that she has a sick father, mother, daughter and husband to take care off. 

Naveen Babu was found dead by suicide at his quarters in Pallikkunnu, Kannur, on Tuesday morning. The tragic incident occurred just a day after PP Divya publicly humiliated him during his farewell meeting, accusing him of engaging in corrupt practices. Divya had alleged that the ADM was involved in issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump under questionable circumstances, and she claimed to have documents that would support her accusations. She indicated that she would release these documents at an appropriate time.

Following Naveen Babu's death, the CPM district leadership criticised Divya for her untimely and unwarranted remarks during the farewell function and removed her from the post of district panchayat president.