The Kerala High Court on Tuesday deferred for one month further trial proceedings in the 2019 rash driving case against IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, who is accused in the death of journalist K M Basheer.

Justice C S Dias passed the order on a petition filed by Basheer’s widow. Basheer was killed when a vehicle allegedly driven by Venkitaraman at high speed hit him near Museum Junction in Thiruvananthapuram in 2019.

The petition initially challenged a January 20, 2025 order of the Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court transferring the case from the Additional District and Sessions Court-I to the Additional District and Sessions Court-IV. However, on August 11, the petitioner’s counsel said they were limiting the plea to a request for the appointment of a senior prosecutor with proven credentials and an impeccable track record to conduct the prosecution.

The petitioner had submitted representations to the Additional Chief Secretary and the Home Minister seeking the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor.

When the matter came up on Tuesday, the Public Prosecutor informed the court that the government had, in principle, decided to appoint advocate A I Santhosh Kumar as the Special Public Prosecutor. The formal notification, however, is yet to be issued.

Taking note of the submission, the High Court upheld the transfer of the case to the Additional Sessions Court-IV but directed the trial court to defer further proceedings for one month.

The court also directed that once the government issues the notification, Santhosh Kumar shall conduct the trial on behalf of the State as the Special Public Prosecutor.
(With LiveLaw inputs)