2019 accident case: Kerala IAS officer moves SC against HC order

In his petition, Venkitaraman argued that there was insufficient evidence to frame murder charges against him in the case

Kerala IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman moved the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the high court’s order upholding culpable homicide charges against him in the 2019 road accident case which led to the death of journalist KM Basheer, people familiar with the matter said.

The Kerala government is expected to oppose the IAS officer’s plea in the top court. (ANI)

In his petition, Venkitaraman argued that there was insufficient evidence to frame murder charges against him in the case. The Kerala government is expected to oppose the IAS officer’s plea in the top court.

The Kerala high court in April this year had set aside an order of a sessions court discharging Venkitaraman and second accused Wafa Firoz from the culpable homicide charge (section 304 of the Indian Penal Code) in the case.

The case dates back to August 3, 2019 when a car allegedly driven by Venkitaraman with Firoz in the front passenger seat rammed into a stationary bike at the Museum Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. Basheer, the district bureau chief of a Malayalam newspaper who was on the bike, succumbed to injuries.

The prosecution argued that according to eyewitness statements, Venkitaraman was at the wheel in an inebriated state. He was also accused of delaying treatment and submitting his blood samples at a government hospital, all of which pointed to attempts at destroying evidence.

The HC observed that an “apparent attempt on the part of the first accused to wriggle out of a timely medical test cannot be wholly ignored” and came to a prima facie conclusion that the IAS officer was driving the vehicle at a high speed under the influence of alcohol.

Venkitaraman, who was suspended from service following the accident for six months, was taken back in 2020 as a joint secretary in the health department. Though he was posted as Alappuzha district collector last year, protests against him compelled the government to transfer him as general manager of Kerala state civil supplies corporation.