Kerala High Court Postpones Trial of Sriram Venkitaraman in Journalist Death Case
· India · The Hindu, Indian Express, The Independent
The Kerala High Court has ordered the Additional Sessions Court-IV in Thiruvananthapuram to defer further proceedings in the trial of Sriram Venkitaraman. The official, who serves as the Director of the Department of Agricultural Development and Farmers’ Welfare, is the prime accused in the death of journalist K.M. Basheer following a rash driving incident. The court noted that while Special Public Prosecutor A. Santhosh Kumar has been appointed to the case, there remains an administrative delay in formally notifying the position. The widow of the deceased, C. Jaseela, had previously challenged a court transfer order and requested the appointment of a senior public prosecutor experienced in large-scale trials. The court observed that Ms. Jaseela has since amended her petition to remove the challenge regarding the transfer of courts.
Why it matters
The delay impacts the ongoing legal proceedings for the family of the late journalist K.M. Basheer and highlights administrative hurdles in appointing specialized legal counsel for high-profile criminal trials in Kerala.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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