In a major setback to IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, the Supreme Court on Friday, August 25, rejected his petition against the imposition of culpable homicide not amounting to murder charge against him, in the case concerning a road accident that resulted in the death of journalist KM Basheer. Sriram had approached the apex court in July this year, after the Kerala High Court overturned a sessions court ruling that absolved him of the homicide charge. Punishment under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) could include imprisonment for life or one that may extend to 10 years besides fine.
In his appeal to the SC, Sriram had claimed there was insufficient evidence to support the imposition of such charges against him. However, the SC bench led by Justice CT Ravikumar disposed of the plea, stating that the apex court would not get involved in the case at this stage. The Justice added that the case should go to trial, and that it was the trial court which should decide whether there was enough evidence against him for the charge to be admissible. He, however, directed the trial court not to be influenced by the Kerala HC’s observations in this regard.
The Thiruvananthapuram Additional Sessions Court had on October 19, 2022, dropped the charges of culpable homicide against Venkitaraman and the second accused, Wafa Firoz, citing that the evidence against them was insufficient. The court instead said they were to be tried under Section 304a (death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Later in November 2022, the Kerala High Court stayed the order of the Thiruvananthapuram sessions court for two months, while accepting a criminal revision petition filed by the state government. Eventually, Justice Bechu Kurian of the Kerala High Court overturned the sessions court order on April 13 this year, ruling that they would be tried under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of commission of offence) of the IPC. The HC, meanwhile, discharged Sections 184 and 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which pertains to dangerous driving, and Section 3(1)(2) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act in the case.
The IAS officer was booked in connection with a road accident case that occurred on August 3, 2019, when Venkitaraman, who was then the Director of Survey and Land Records, and Wafa were travelling in a car that hit journalist KM Basheer, resulting in his death. The prosecution had argued in court that Sriram’s reckless driving under the influence of alcohol was what caused the accident. It also pointed out that Venkitaraman, who has studied medicine, had only allowed the police to collect his blood samples up to nine hours after the accident. He then got himself admitted to a private hospital, which the prosecution alleged led to the results of the test being botched up. His arrest was recorded only after around 17 hours.
Venkitaraman was briefly suspended but was reinstated in January 2020. His subsequent posting as the Alappuzha District Collector in August 2022 received widespread criticism, leading to the revocation of the order. Currently, he serves as the General Manager of the State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd in Ernakulam.