Kerala scribe death: IAS officer Sriram sent to 14-day judicial custody

IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman has been sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the death of a Kerala-based journalist KM Basheer in a road accident.

Last night, the Judicial Magistrate went to the private hospital where Sriram is undergoing treatment and remanded him.

Sriram will continue to undergo treatment in the hospital and will be taken to jail once discharged.

The police have registered a case under Section 279 (for reckless driving) and 304 (for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Basheer (35) was killed after a speeding car driven by Sriram rammed into his bike in Thiruvananthapuram in the wee hours of Saturday, police had said.

The IAS officer was returning after a party and was accompanied by a friend when the accident took place. He was reportedly in an inebriated state while driving the car.

Basheer was the Chief of Trivandrum Bureau of Malayalam daily Siraj and was rushed to a government hospital, but could not be saved. Sriram, who also sustained injuries in the accident, was also taken to a nearby hospital.

Investigation in the matter is underway.

In a statement recorded of Sriram after the accident, the officer had claimed that at the time of the accident, the car was driven by his friend.

However, the journalist fraternity had alleged that there were lapses from the police during the probe. The fraternity also claimed that the police did not conduct Sriram's blood test.