Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday pronounced that the culpable homicide charges against IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman in the death of journalist KM Basheer in 2019 will stand. The journalist was mowed to death by a car driven by Venkitaraman. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the order while accepting the review petition filed by the government. 

Meanwhile, the court acquitted another accused Wafa Firoz of the charges in the case.

In November  2022, a lower court had dropped the charge under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which deals with culpable homicide. However, the court said other charges, including Sections 304 A (causing death by negligence) and 279 (rash and negligent driving) will stand. 

Sriram Venkitaraman had fatally knocked down a journalist in Thiruvananthapuram in August 2019 while driving a car in an inebriated state.

The car belonged to Venkitaraman's friend Wafa Firoz, who was also travelling with him and is the second accused in the case. She was charged with abetting the officer to drive the car rashly.

The police charge sheet said the officer was drunk and was behind the wheel in the speeding car while returning from a private party past midnight.