Court rules that both stand trial for causing the death of a person due to a rash and negligent act, not amounting to culpable murder
Court rules that both stand trial for causing the death of a person due to a rash and negligent act, not amounting to culpable murder
A district court in Thiruvananthapuram on October 19 discharged IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman of the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the suspected alcohol-impaired motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of journalist K. M. Basheer in 2019. The court also reprieved a fellow passenger Wafa, alias Najim, of the same charge.
However, the court ruled that both stand trial for causing the death of a person due to a rash and negligent act, not amounting to culpable murder.
First additional session judge K. Sanal Kumar ordered the accused to appear in the court of the judicial first class magistrate for framing of charges. The court also allowed the State to prosecute the respondents for rash and negligent driving that endangered human life.
Mr. Venkitaraman and Ms. Najim had moved the court independently for reprieve. The court also noted that the chemical analysis report indicated that Mr. Venkitaraman was not alcohol-impaired at the time of the accident.
The court did not give weightage to the prosecution’s argument that Mr. Venkitaraman had used his clout to delay the blood alcohol test to destroy evidence of his culpability.
Mr. Venkitaraman had come under a cloud following the incident. The government removed him as the Alappuzha District Collector after the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League threatened to boycott him.
Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan said the police had helped Mr. Venkitaraman get off the hook in the case. For one, the police delayed drawing his blood sample for chemical examination to determine drunkeness. The government had protected Mr. Venkitaraman, he said.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists said it would give a review petition against the discharge.
