SIT finds no assault on Veena George by KSU activists, submits report

  A Kerala SIT probing the alleged attack on former Health Minister Veena George has found that no assault took place at Kannur railway station. The report also questions the initial police investigation, with possible disciplinary action against officials and her former gunman 

Thiruvananthapuram: The SIT probing the alleged attack on former Health Minister Veena George by KSU activists at Kannur railway station has reported that no assault, as claimed, took place, sources said on Sunday.

The SIT, headed by U Preman, Commandant of the Kerala Armed Police Battalion, recently submitted its report to State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar, who had ordered a further probe into the incident.

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As part of the investigation, the SIT recorded statements of George, her security personnel and the police officers who initially investigated the case and filed a charge sheet, officials said.

The SIT found that George was not assaulted using any weapon, as alleged, and that the Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists could not even reach her as they were stopped by her security personnel, sources said.

The KSU is the student wing of the Congress.

Based on the report, the State Police Chief will decide on further steps, including possible disciplinary action against George’s former gunman, whose statement led to the registration of an FIR alleging that she was assaulted with a weapon.

Action is also likely to be initiated against the police team that initially investigated the case and arrested the KSU activists, sources said.

The case was registered at the Kannur Railway Police Station following a black-flag protest against George, who was then the Health Minister, on February 25 this year.

Five KSU activists protesting against alleged medical negligence approached George at Kannur railway station when she arrived there to board a train.

George later complained of neck pain and was admitted to a hospital.

Based on a complaint lodged by her gunman, police registered a case of attempted murder and arrested the five activists. The FIR alleged that a weapon was used in the incident.

The KSU activists had alleged a conspiracy, claiming that they had not approached George and that the police had prevented them from reaching her.

Demand for a further investigation gained momentum after the attempt-to-murder charge and other serious offences were dropped when the investigating team filed a charge sheet before a court in June this year.

After the UDF government came to power, the Home Department constituted an SIT on August 3 and ordered a thorough investigation to establish all relevant facts in the case.