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Kerala High Court and Sriram Venkitaraman, an IAS official
The State government informed the Kerala High Court on Tuesday that a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) will be assigned to represent the State in the 2019 rash driving case against IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman [Jaseela C v Sriram Venkitaraman & ors].
The case concerns claims that Venkitaraman drove his automobile carelessly while intoxicated and crashed it into journalist KM Basheer's motorcycle, killing Basheer.
Basheer's widow, C Jaseela, had lately contested the case's relocation from one trial court to another on the grounds that Venkitaraman's attorney couldn't go up stairs to the previous courtroom.
In order to guaranty that the trial would be conducted correctly, she had also requested the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP). Eventually, her attorney explained that she is no longer contesting the trial transfer and is merely requesting the appointment of an SPP.
Advocate A Santosh Kumar will serve as the case's Special Public Prosecutor, the State informed the Court today.
Justice CS Dias decided that the trial be postponed for a month because the SPP's appointment has not yet been announced. The Court stated that after the notification is sent, the newly appointed special public prosecutor should represent the government in the matter.
The order for such a transfer was likewise upheld because the petitioner had not pursued her earlier prayer contesting the trial transfer.In theory, the government has chosen to designate A Santosh Kumar, a lawyer, as the Special Public Prosecutor. However, there would be a delay in issuing the notification in this respect.
CS Dias, Justice
The case concerns journalist Basheer's death following a collision between his motorcycle and Venkitaraman's vehicle.
On August 1st of this year, seven years after Basheer's passing, the case trial got underway.
