Death of K M Basheer; Govt likely to appoint advocate Santhosh as special public prosecutor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has decided to appoint a special prosecutor in the death case of journalist K M Basheer. The home department has decided to appoint advocate Santhosh as the special public prosecutor. Basheer’s wife had earlier approached the court demanding to appoint a special prosecutor. The trial in the case is presently progressing.

Basheer’s wife filed the plea questioning the order of the Thiruvananthapuram sessions court. Her plea alleged that the case was transferred from the court at the instance of the defence counsel. She expressed concern on whether the trial would be conducted fairly. The petition sought to transfer the case back to the sessions court that had previously heard it. It also alleged that the present prosecutor lacked experience and requested that the prosecutor be replaced. The petition further sought directions for the appointment of a special prosecutor.

IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman is the sole accused in the case. He has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, dangerous driving, drunk driving, and destruction of evidence. Basheer was killed when he was hit by a car driven by Sriram Venkitaraman, who was travelling with his friend Wafa Firoz on August 3, 2019, early morning.