The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged attack on then Kerala Health Minister Veena George by Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists at Kannur railway station on 25 February has uncovered serious irregularities in the original investigation, including allegations of fabricated witness statements and a key retraction by the minister's former personal security officer.

Sub-Inspector Alleges Statement Was Fabricated

Deepthi, who served as the Sub-Inspector (SI) at Kannur Town and was responsible for Veena George's security at the railway station on the day of the protest, has told the SIT that investigators from the original probe team never actually recorded her statement. She alleged that a false statement — claiming the minister was thrown off balance during the protest — was fabricated and attributed to her without her knowledge. The revelation has cast serious doubt on the integrity of the initial inquiry, which resulted in five KSU activists being booked under grave charges, including attempted murder. The accused spent several days in custody before being released on bail.

Former Gunman Retracts Key Testimony

Separately, the SIT is preparing to recommend disciplinary action against Abhilash, Veena George's former gunman, to the Director General of Police (DGP). Abhilash had initially alleged that protesters attempted to attack the minister using weapons. He subsequently told the SIT that he did not witness any such attack. According to information emerging from the investigation, Abhilash also claimed that his earlier statement had been given at the minister's direction — an allegation the SIT is treating with considerable seriousness. The team is expected to detail these findings in a formal report to the DGP.

Original Investigating Officers Now Under Scrutiny

The SIT has decided to question the Railway Police Inspector who registered the case based on Abhilash's original statement. The latest disclosures are expected to place the initial Investigating Officers under formal scrutiny, and the SIT may be required to examine whether statements and evidence were improperly recorded or presented. The team has already recorded statements from all five accused, including KSU district president M.C. Athul, regarding the circumstances of the protest.

Veena George's Political Fallout

Veena George's standing has taken a significant blow following the controversy. News videographers present at the Kannur railway platform captured footage of the incident that many observers said contradicted the severity of the attack as originally described. The footage circulated widely, and numerous social media posts mocked her account of events. Notably, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], which was in government at the time and had organised street protests over the alleged attack, has not publicly defended her in the wake of the SIT's findings. George also lost her sitting Aranmula Assembly constituency seat in the subsequent election, falling short of the hat-trick of victories she had been targeting.

What Comes Next

The SIT is likely to record Veena George's statement again in greater detail, given the contradictions that have emerged. The team's findings will determine whether further departmental or criminal action is warranted against those involved in the original investigation. All eyes are now on the SIT's forthcoming report to the DGP, which is expected to be a defining document in a case that has increasingly become as much about alleged police misconduct as about the protest itself.