Plea In Kerala High Court Seeks CBI Probe In Road Rage Case Against Collector Sriram Venkitaraman IAS

The brother of journalist K M Basheer, who died in a road rage involving IAS Officer Sreeram Venkitaraman, has moved the Kerala High Court seeking a CBI probe into the incident which took place in August 2019.

In the petition moved through Advocate P.T. Sheejish, the Petitioner, who is the brother of the deceased Journalist, alleges that the accused, who is a very influential IAS Officer, had sought the help of higher Police Authorities to save him from the crime by simplifying the incident as a car accident.

In the petition, it is averred that KM Basheer and the accused were casually acquainted, and prior to his death, K M Basheer had received relevant evidence, including a video of the accused in connection with his illegitimate relationship with the 2nd accused(Wafa Firoz). It is alleged by the petitioner that the accused person, when he realised that the deceased had obtained the information on his phone, had made all attempts to grab his phone, which contains the video and other evidence of the illegitimate relationship and which was resisted by the deceased. Further, it is alleged that the accused, infuriated by the incident, acted against Basheer leading to his killing. 

The petitioner further alleges that the initial police report clearly states that the accused was in an inebriated stage and was under influence of alcohol; however, later, the District Hospital had omitted to conduct his blood test and that there is an inconsistency in recorded time at which the police reached the scene of occurrence. 

Further, the petitioner alleges the Police had wrongfully stated in the Mahasser that they had only recovered one of Basheer's mobile phones, and this indicates that the accused has extensive help from the authorities. 

It is also submitted that the wife of the deceased journalist had previously approached the Chief Minister of Kerala and had also filed a complaint. Aggrieved by the inaction, the petitioner has approached the Court seeking that further investigation in the case should be conducted by an Investigating Authority that is beyond the jurisdictional limit of the accused, or otherwise, the petitioner would be put to irreparable injury and severe hardship. 

An interim relief of conducting an effective and speedy investigation of the complaints filed before the 2nd and 3rd respondent is also sought in the Writ Petition. 

Case Title: Abdurahiman v. State of Kerala & Ors.