KANNUR: PP Divya has been jailed amid protests across the state. Former district panchayat president Divya was hiding under the shadow of the police and the party despite being an accused in the case of abetment to suicide of ADM Naveen Babu.

The 15-day-long cat-and-mouse game came to an end when the Thalassery Principal Sessions Court denied anticipatory bail to Divya with harsh remarks that offences including abetment to suicide would stand.

Divya surrendered as per the party’s instructions. The police, who did not touch Divya for two weeks, recorded her arrest. Taliparamba magistrate remanded Divya to judicial custody till November 12 and lodged her in the women’s jail in Pallikunnu. Divya will file a bail plea in the Thalassery sessions court. Naveen Babu’s wife Manjusha will be a party in the case opposing the bail plea. Manjusha had opposed the first bail plea also.

Divya, who was taken into custody this afternoon, was taken to the crime branch office and questioned for two hours before her arrest was recorded. She was then produced at the magistrate’s house under tight security after a medical examination at the district hospital. There was a scuffle between the youth Congress, Youth League and Yuva Morcha activists protesting there and the police. Protests erupted against the police jeep that came out with Divya from the crime branch office.

Abetment will remain

Thalassery Principal Sessions Court Judge KT Nisar Ahamed, while rejecting the bail plea, observed that the charge of abetment to suicide would stand. The eight-page verdict clearly states that prima facie it appears that Divya has committed the crime.

Court’s observations –

• Divya’s act is not suitable for a public servant
• A legal remedy could have been sought for the bribery complaint
• Divya’s claim that she had come for the send-off because she was invited was rejected.
• The video was deliberately filmed and circulated to humiliate Naveen in front of his superiors and colleagues.
• The video being circulated in Naveen’s hometown Pathanamthitta is proof of Divya’s malafide intentions.

Must be questioned in custody

The court rejected Divya’s argument that there was no need to question her in custody even if it was accepted that the case existed. Whether to be questioned in custody is one of the many factors that need to be taken into account for anticipatory bail. The court also pointed out that the accused may use political influence to influence witnesses.

Divya without losing her smile

Divya came out of the hospital with a smiling face. Divya exited through the back door of the hospital under police protection.