Kerala High Court stays the trial of IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman in the 2019 K.M. Basheer rash driving case
1 October 2026
Justice G. Girish stayed the criminal trial on 1 October 2026 in the 2019 rash driving case against IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman.
The journalist K.M. Basheer died after being struck by a vehicle at Museum Junction, Thiruvananthapuram, in 2019.
The petition (WP(Crl.) 1485/2026) was filed by his widow, Jaseela C., who challenged the government's rejection of her request to appoint Advocate Santhosh Kumar as Special Public Prosecutor.
In August 2026 the court had deferred the trial for a month after recording the State's in-principle commitment to appoint a special prosecutor; the petitioner says the State later made a U-turn.
The court called for the records of the government's decision; the next hearing is on 27 October 2026.
In plain words
Special Public Prosecutor Prosecutor appointed for a particular case — A prosecutor the government appoints to conduct the prosecution in a specific case, apart from the regular Public Prosecutor.