Thiruvananthapuram: Senior IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman suffered a major setback during his trial in the fatal car crash case involving journalist K.M. Basheer. The prosecution’s fifth witness, an auto-driver named Manikandan, took the stand at the trial court and directly implicated the bureaucrat. Manikandan firmly stood by his earlier statement given to the magistrate, confirming that the tragic accident occurred because Sriram was driving at a dangerously high speed while heavily intoxicated.
Recounting the sequence of events, the eyewitness explained that he was driving his auto-rickshaw around 1:00 AM near the Keltron Junction in Vellayambalam when the incident unfolded. He noticed a car taking a sharp, risky turn around the Vellayambalam roundabout with a terrifying screeching noise. Fearing for his own safety after seeing the wild manner in which the vehicle was being driven, Manikandan immediately pulled his auto-rickshaw to the side of the road.
The speeding car zoomed past his auto-rickshaw, hurtling forward at a reckless speed exceeding 100 kilometers per hour. Moments later, the vehicle crashed near the Public Office, prompting Manikandan to rush to the scene. Upon reaching the accident spot, Manikandan clearly identified Sriram Venkitaraman as the person stepping out of the driver’s seat.The witness told the court that he personally realized the officer was heavily drunk the moment Sriram stepped out of the damaged car. This eyewitness testimony has turned out to be crucial evidence in court as Sriram faces serious charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
