The Kerala High Court on Thursday (October 1) stayed the criminal trial in the 2019 rash driving case against IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman that resulted in the death of journalist K.M. Basheer.

The allegation is that a vehicle driven at high speed by Venkitaraman ran over Basheer at Museum Junction in Thiruvananthapuram in 2019.

Justice G. Girish granted the interim stay in a plea preferred by Basheer's widow Jaseela, being aggrieved by the rejection of her request to appoint Advocate Santhosh Kumar as Special Public Prosecutor to conduct the trial.

She seeks to quash the government order rejecting her request. She is also seeking a direction to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home department to appoint Advocate Santhosh.

In August, the High Court had disposed of another petition preferred by Jaseela challenging the transfer of the trial and seeking a direction to the State to ensure that the prosecution is conducted by a senior prosecutor with proven credentials and an impeccable track record.

The Court had confirmed the transfer order as Jaseela had sought to confine her relief to appointment of a special public prosecutor alone. It had also recorded the State's submission that the government had already, in principle, taken a decision to appoint Advocate Santhosh Kumar as the Special Public Prosecutor. Since it was submitted that the formal notification of appointment is yet to be issued, the Court had deferred the trial for a period of one month.

In the plea, it is stated that the government took a different stance while disposing of her representations:

"Government, it seems has made a U-turn by rejecting the prayer for appointment of the Special Prosecutor, even disowning its own stand voiced through Senior Prosecutor before this Hon'ble Court, which only was recorded by this Hon'ble Court."

Today, the Court called for the records leading to the afore government decision and stayed the trial. The case stands posted to October 27 for further consideration. The prosecutor is directed to take instructions in the meanwhile.

The petition is moved by Advocate M. Revikrishnan.

Case No: WP(Crl.) 1485/2026

Case Title: Jaseela C. v. State of Kerala and Ors.