IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, who was appointed as Alappuzha district collector last week, has been removed from this post. He will now be appointed as general manager, Civil Supplies Corporation.
The development comes amid protests from various quarters as Sriram is an accused in a drunk-driving accident that caused the death of journalist K.M. Basheer in 2019. Basheer was run over by a over-speeding car allegedly driven by Sriram in an inebriated state in Thiruvananthapuram district in the state. The accident and the botched probe that followed had resulted in a huge controversy. He was placed under suspension by the state government then.
However, Sriram was reinstated into service by the government in March 2020 and made the joint secretary in the Department of Health and Social Justice, much to the chagrin of the public.
He was granted bail in the case by the First Class Magistrate Court in October 2020.
Opposition Congress slammed Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front government's decision to appoint Sriram to the crucial post even as the case against him is pending before a court.
Sriram took charge from his wife and fellow IAS officer Dr Renu Raj after the latter was appointed as Ernakulam district collector.
Even after taking the post, Sriram had abstained from key meetings in Alappuzha, especially the one deciding the matters of the district's famous Nehru Boat Race.
Krishna Teja has been appointed as the new Alappuzha district collector.
