Thiruvananthapuram, September 1: The Kerala government, led by Chief Minister VD Satheesan, has intensified its efforts to investigate old and prominent cases by forming special investigation teams (SITs) since taking office.
With the establishment of a new SIT to probe the Kannur railway station incident involving former Health Minister Veena George, the number of high-profile SITs formed since the government assumed power in May has now reached four.
The first SIT was set up just hours after the government was sworn in on May 18. Its purpose was to investigate an alleged attack on Youth Congress workers by security personnel of then-Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2023. During this investigation, senior police officer M.R. Ajith Kumar faced allegations of interference and was subsequently suspended.
In July, a second SIT was formed to examine alleged irregularities in the Kerala Public Service Commission examinations.
The third SIT was established on August 31, tasked with investigating financial and other alleged irregularities related to the proposed visit of football star Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team to Kerala.
Currently, the most political discourse surrounds the Kannur railway station case. This incident occurred on February 25, when KSU workers protested against then-Health Minister Veena George by displaying black flags ahead of the assembly elections. Five workers were arrested during the protest, and police filed a case alleging that Veena George was attacked with a weapon, resulting in serious injuries to her neck.
However, the case quickly became a subject of political controversy. The opposition raised questions about the allegations, and VD Satheesan, then the opposition leader, described it as a political drama, stating that there was no CCTV footage supporting the alleged attack.
The political landscape shifted after the assembly elections, with Veena George losing her seat and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) facing a significant defeat. Now, the same case has come under the scrutiny of the SIT formed by the new government.
The SIT will re-investigate the case from the beginning. The team will review CCTV footage from the railway station, question police officers present at the scene, and those who investigated the case. They will also examine the basis for the serious charges filed against Veena George and her security personnel.
This investigation aims to answer the lingering question since February: whether the police case filed regarding the incident at the Kannur railway station was based on actual facts or if the allegations were exaggerated compared to the evidence. Currently, the Satheesan government has reopened these controversial past cases for investigation.
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