IAS Sriram, accused in drunk-driving case that killed journalist, likely to be reinstated

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, who was suspended for fatally mowing down Siraj journalist K M Basheer last August, might soon be back on duty.

A committee headed by Chief Secretary Tom Jose has recommended revoking the suspension of the officer citing that the police have not filed the charge sheet even after six months since the accident. The report also added that the state government cannot extend the suspension beyond six months in a stretch if there is no fresh charge against the officer. In case the charge sheet was filed by the police on time, it could have given the government a justification to go ahead with the suspension. It's in this context that the police's soft-pedalling of the probe evokes suspicion.

Basheer was killed in the midnight of August 2 near the Museum junction after being mowed down by Sriram. As per the statement of Wafa Firoz, who was accompanying the officer in the car, Sriram was behind the wheels when the accident occurred. She had hinted that he was under the influence of alcohol, but its presence could not be spotted in Sriram's blood due to delay in testing it. This delay, for which the police could not present any satisfactory reason, had prompted allegations of a concerted effort from the part of the senior bureaucrats to rescue the erred officer.

It was this botched up medical examination that came to Sriram's rescue while filing his explanation with the Chief Secretary. Sriram had vouched that he was not drunk when the accident occurred and even shifted the blame on to Wafa saying she was at the wheels during the mishap.