The Thiruvananthapuram Additional Sessions Court has summoned IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman to appear before it on December 11 in connection with the alcohol-impaired driving accident case that killed journalist K.M. Basheer.
The court will recommence trial in the case as the Supreme Court has rejected a Special Leave Petition submitted by Mr. Venkitaraman who had challenged the findings of the Kerala High Court that he shall be tried for the offence under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 201 (causing the disappearance of evidence of an offence) of the Indian Penal Code.
The apex court had held that the trial court would examine whether there was substantial evidence against the accused. The trial court had earlier discharged him of such offences and others pertaining to drunk driving, and ruled that the officer shall be proceeded against Section 279 (rash driving) and Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the prosecsution case, Mr. Venkitaraman, who was under the influence of alcohol, drove a car recklessly and rammed Basheer’s motorcycle on August 3, 2019. His friend Wafa Firoze was with the officer when the accident took place.
