Kerala ADM's death: Delayed further action by CPI(M) on accused leader raises questions

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) leader from the party's stronghold Kannur in Kerala P P Divya continues to enjoy the party's backing despite court and police pointing fingers at her for abetment of suicide of additional district magistrate Naveen Babu.

Though Divya was removed from the Kannur district panchayat post after the police booked her, the party is delaying any further action against her even as the court order denying anticipatory bail to her as well as the police remand report stated that the allegations against her for prompting Babu to end life were prima facie true.

Divya continues to be a member of the Kannur district committee of the party. A meeting of the district leadership of CPI(M) held on Wednesday reportedly did not discuss the issue. Reacting to questions of action against Divya, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan told reporters that those were internal matters of the party.

A remand report given by the police while producing Divya before the court on Tuesday stated that prima facie Divya humiliated Babu with criminal intention and she was involved in criminal cases earlier also.

Meanwhile, Divya filed a fresh bail application at a court in Kannur on Wednesday. Apart from her earlier defences, she had also cited a statement of Kannur district collector Arun Vijayan that Babu had told him that there was mistake on his part.