Eyewitness in K.M. Basheer hit-and-run case involving Kerala IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman turns hostile
A key prosecution witness in the hit-and-run case involving IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman has turned hostile in court. The witness claimed his previous statements were influenced by police, contradicting testimony from another eyewitness.
Why it matters
The credibility of witness testimony is central to the judicial process, especially in high-profile cases involving public officials.
The sixth prosecution witness in the case relating to the death of journalist K.M. Basheer turned hostile during trial proceedings on Tuesday (August 4, 2026).
The witness, auto-rickshaw driver Shafeeq, testified before the court that he did not know who was driving the car that hit Basheer and that he could not identify the accused, IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, who stood in the dock.
He also told the court that the driver at the time had a beard and that the person in the dock only appeared to resemble him. He stated that he saw a man and a woman standing at the accident spot.
According to Mr. Shafeeq, the accident occurred because the car was being driven at a high speed. He, however, added that the driver did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol based on his behaviour.
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