Journalist KM Basheer death case: IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman moves SC against culpable homicide charges

On August 3, 2019, Sriram's car collided with KM Basheer's motorbike, killing the journalist. The Sessions Court's decision to dismiss the culpable homicide charges against IAS Officer Sriram Venkitaraman in the journalist KM Basheer's death was overturned by the Kerala High Court.

Thiruvananthapuram: In an effort to overturn the High Court's decision upholding the homicide charge against him in the matter of the death of journalist KM Basheer, IAS official Sriram Venkitaraman has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. Sriram asserted that the matter should be handled as a simple Motor Vehicle Department issue because there is insufficient evidence to convict him of murder.

In response to the Session court's decision to remove the manslaughter allegation against Sriram, the High Court ruled that the charge of homicide against him should stand.  The government approached the high court against the Sessions court judgment dropping charges under IPC Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide).

The scientific test results, which revealed no signs of alcohol in Sriram's body, are the basis of his defence.

The case pertains to the alleged drunk driving incident involving Venkitaraman and his friend Wafa Firoze, which led to the death of KM Basheer, a journalist, in 2019.

The Judicial First Class Magistrate court had received a 70-page chargesheet from the Crime Branch's Special Investigation Team. According to the chargesheet, the IAS officer was driving a speeding car after drinking alcohol and leaving a party at midnight on August 3, 2019. Basheer was killed instantly when the car struck him while he was riding a motorbike.