In response to the allegations of corruption involving one of her personal staff members, Kerala Health Minister Veena George issued a statement asserting that the truth behind the matter would only be revealed through a thorough and scientifically conducted police investigation. These bribery charges ignited a significant political controversy within the state.
Minister Veena George emphasized the importance of a meticulous police inquiry, stating, "Police will investigate the case. They can check the surveillance camera footage, mobile tower location, etc. The truth will come out based on scientific investigation. No such activities will be entertained and I want the public to be vigilant regarding such offers and appointments." She also mentioned that she was unaware of whether the complainant had already lodged a formal police complaint, but she had taken the initiative to instruct officials to initiate such a complaint.
The individual making the accusations, Haridasan, a resident of Malappuram district, alleged that a personal staff member of the minister had accepted a bribe of Rs 1 lakh in exchange for facilitating the appointment of his daughter-in-law as a government medical officer specializing in homeopathy.
Regarding the progress of the investigation, Thiruvananthapuram city police Commissioner C H Nagaraju stated that a comprehensive statement from Haridasan would be obtained, and a team of police officers had already been dispatched to Malappuram for this purpose. He disclosed that the Minister's office had submitted a complaint about the allegations to the Director General of Police (DGP), which was then forwarded to him via the Police Headquarters. Additionally, a separate complaint filed by Akhil Mathew, the personal staff member facing charges, was included with the Minister's complaint. Commissioner Nagaraju elaborated that as soon as they received the complaint, they contacted Akhil Mathew, obtained his detailed statement, and registered the First Information Report (FIR). The investigation was currently underway, supervised by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) rank officer.
Commissioner Nagaraju emphasized the importance of collecting scientific evidence to substantiate the allegations. Payments allegedly involved bank transactions, which could serve as evidence, and all available sources such as CCTV footage and emails would be scrutinized. The intention was to determine the roles of all individuals implicated in the alleged crime based on scientific evidence.
He highlighted the police's commitment to uncovering the truth swiftly and efficiently. Job fraud cases, especially those involving bribery for job placements without following proper procedures or examinations, were being treated with the utmost seriousness.
In light of the ongoing investigation, individuals close to Akhil Mathew maintained his innocence, asserting that he was attending a wedding ceremony in Pathanamthitta on the day he was alleged to have accepted the bribe in the state capital from Haridasan. They substantiated their claims with photographs of Akhil's presence at the wedding shared on social media platforms.
Addressing the bribery charges against the Health Minister's office, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan called for a comprehensive and thorough investigation into the matter. He emphasized that upon receiving the complaint, the Minister's office promptly reported it to higher-ranking police authorities, and an investigation was actively in progress, dismissing any ambiguity in the process.
The opposition Congress expressed deep concern over the gravity of the bribery charges against the Health Minister's personal staff, characterizing them as "serious." They asserted that corruption appeared to be pervasive in various government departments across the state.
