Kerala SIT clears 5 KSU activists in Veena George attack case, Kannur
Synopsis
A Kerala SIT has told a Kannur court that five KSU activists accused of attacking former Health Minister Veena George cannot be prosecuted — after the minister's own gunman reversed his statement and admitted he had not seen any attack. The SIT also found that the serious charges, including attempt to murder, were built on a complaint that its investigation could not substantiate.
Key Takeaways
Kerala SIT submitted its final report on 3 November 2026 to the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Kannur , clearing five KSU activists.
Preman found that none of the charges in the original charge sheet — including attempt to murder, rioting, and trespass — can be sustained.
The former minister's gunman, Abhilash , reversed his original statement, saying he had not witnessed any attempt to attack Veena George .
Abhilash reportedly told the SIT that he had given a false initial statement at Veena George's direction.
The SIT could not recover any weapons allegedly used, and concluded the incident was a scuffle between KSU activists and police.
The case became a major political controversy between Congress and the CPI(M) ahead of state elections in February .
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, told the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kannur that none of the charges against five Kerala Students' Union (KSU) activists accused in the alleged attack on former Kerala Health Minister Veena George can be sustained. SIT head U. Preman submitted the final report, effectively delivering a clean chit to all five accused.
What the SIT Found
The team concluded that the KSU activists had not committed any of the offences listed in the charge sheet. Charges of rioting and trespassing into railway premises were found untenable, and the SIT determined that the protesters had not obstructed police from performing their official duties. Crucially, the team ruled that staging a black-flag protest does not amount to a criminal offence under law.
The Gunman's Reversal and Its Consequences
The case took a dramatic turn after Abhilash, the former minister's personal security officer, changed his statement before the investigating team. He told the SIT that he had not witnessed the protesters attempting to attack Veena George. According to reports, Abhilash also told the team that his original statement — which had formed the backbone of the serious charges, including attempt to murder — was given at Veena George's direction. The SIT was also unable to recover any weapons allegedly used during the incident at Kannur railway station earlier this year.
How the Original Charges Were Built
The initial police case rested heavily on Abhilash's early account, which alleged that the protesters had attempted to assault the minister with weapons. However, the SIT's independent probe found that the activists had never physically reached Veena George during the demonstration. What the investigation did establish, according to the report, was a scuffle between the KSU activists and the police — not an attack on the former minister herself. The team had previously flagged these findings in a report to the Director General of Police (DGP), noting that the protest had been exaggerated.
Political Fallout and Background
The case had evolved into a major political flashpoint in Kerala. The Indian National Congress (Congress) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) took sharply opposing positions after the incident. The CPI(M) staged protest marches almost immediately after the episode, which unfolded in February when state elections were approaching. The SIT's clean chit to the activists is expected to intensify the political debate over how the original charges were framed.
What Happens Next
With the final report now placed before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kannur, the court will determine whether to accept the SIT's conclusions and discharge the five activists. The disclosure by Abhilash that his original statement was false is also likely to attract scrutiny over how the complaint was filed and by whom. The development puts the spotlight squarely on the political management of the incident ahead of last year's elections.
Point of View
And this case fits a familiar pattern: serious charges filed quickly in a charged electoral atmosphere, followed by an inconvenient investigation that contradicts the original version. The CPI(M)'s rapid staging of protest marches immediately after the incident now looks calculated rather than spontaneous. The court's acceptance or rejection of the SIT report will be the next litmus test of how much institutional accountability attaches to filing a false complaint.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kerala SIT's conclusion in the Veena George attack case?
The SIT concluded that none of the charges against the five KSU activists — including attempt to murder, rioting, and trespass — can be sustained. It found that the activists had not attacked former Health Minister Veena George and had not even reached her during the Kannur railway station demonstration.
Why did the case against the KSU activists collapse?
The case weakened primarily because Veena George's personal security officer, Abhilash, reversed his original statement before the SIT, saying he had not seen the protesters attempt to attack her. The SIT also failed to recover any weapons allegedly used, and found that what occurred was a scuffle between the activists and police, not an assault on the minister.
What did the gunman Abhilash tell the SIT?
Abhilash told the SIT that he had not witnessed any attempt to attack Veena George. He reportedly also said that his original statement — which had alleged that the protesters attacked the minister with weapons — was given at Veena George's direction.
What happens next in the case?
The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kannur will now decide whether to accept the SIT's final report and discharge the five KSU activists. The court proceedings are also likely to scrutinise Abhilash's disclosure about giving a false statement.
Why did this case become politically significant in Kerala?
The case became a flashpoint because the Congress-backed KSU activists faced serious charges including attempt to murder while demonstrating against a CPI(M)-led government minister. The CPI(M) quickly staged protest marches after the incident, which occurred just ahead of state elections, drawing accusations of political exploitation from the Congress.
