THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The suspension of Sriram Venkitaraman IAS, who allegedly drove a car in an inebriated state and caused the death of journalist KM Basheer in a midnight accident here, has been extended for another 90 days.
The order regarding this was signed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, overlooking the recommendation of a high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary Tom Jose. The committee had recommended the chief minister to not extend the suspension period further citing that the police had not filed the chargesheet even six months after the accident.
They had reportedly conveyed to the chief minister that the IAS officer could not be kept on suspension beyond six months on the basis of a FIR. The police are yet to file the chargesheet in the accident death of Siraj journalist Basheer, who was mowed down by the car allegedly driven by the officer last August.
Sources said the police team will be filing the chargesheet once they get three forensic reports from the labs concerned. The reports are expected to arrive within a month and the suspension was extended to let the police complete the probe, sources added.
Basheer was killed around midnight on August 2 near the Museum junction after a car driven by Sriram rammed the former’s motorcycle. As per the statement of Wafa Firoz, who was accompanying the officer in the car, Sriram was at the wheel when the accident occurred.
She had hinted that he was under the influence of alcohol, but its presence could not be detected in Sriram’s blood due to a 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 errant officer.
It was this botched 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 wheel during the mishap.