Trial begins in K.M. Basheer death case
The trial for the 2019 death of journalist K.M. Basheer has officially commenced in a Thiruvananthapuram court. IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman is the sole accused, facing charges including culpable homicide and driving under the influence.
Why it matters
The case is a high-profile legal matter involving a senior bureaucrat and the death of a journalist, drawing significant public and media attention to judicial accountability.
The Thiruvananthapuram Additional District and Sessions Court IV on Saturday (August 1) commenced the trial in the death of journalist K.M. Basheer, nearly seven years after he was fatally hit by a car allegedly driven by IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman.
Basheer, the Thiruvananthapuram bureau chief of Malayalam daily Siraj , was killed on August 3, 2019, after his motorcycle was knocked down by the car allegedly driven by Mr. Venkitaraman, who is currently serving as the Director of the Agriculture Development and Farmers’ Welfare department. The sole accused in the case, he had earlier pleaded not guilty when the court read out the charges against him.
On the opening day of the trial, Saifudeen Haji, director of the newspaper, was examined as the first prosecution witness. Although the accused appeared before the court, the cross-examination of the first witness was deferred until Monday at the request of the defence counsel.
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