Eyewitness in K.M. Basheer death case involving Kerala IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman turns hostile
Auto-rickshaw driver Shafeeq testifies before court that he did not know who was driving the car that hit Basheer and that he could not identify the accused
On August 4, 2026, a crucial development arose in the trial concerning the death of journalist K.M. Basheer. The sixth prosecution witness, auto-rickshaw driver Shafeeq, delivered a hostile testimony that contradicted earlier statements. Shafeeq admitted he did not know who was driving the vehicle that struck Basheer and could not identify the accused, IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, who was present in the courtroom.
He described the driver at the time as having a beard and stated that the individual in the dock did not closely resemble him. Shafeeq claimed the accident occurred due to the car's high speed, though he noted the driver did not seem intoxicated based on their behavior. This account differed from Shafeeq's original police statement and his confidential account before the magistrate.
He maintained that he had provided his initial statement based on police instructions, and his frequent visits to the police station for nighttime vehicle operations had familiarized him with the officers. Meanwhile, another eyewitness, auto-rickshaw driver Manikuttan, testified a day earlier that Venkitaraman had driven recklessly at a high speed and was under the influence of alcohol when the incident transpired.
Manikuttan reported seeing the car speeding around 1 a.m. near Keltron Junction in Vellayambalam, overtaking his vehicle, and subsequently being involved in an accident near the Public Office complex where Venkitaraman was identified as the driver.
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