The Kerala government has decided to appoint IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman as managing director of the state Cashew Corporation, handing him charge of the state-run cashew sector less than a month after his latest transfer.

Details of the decision emerged on Saturday. Venkitaraman had earlier been moved from the Agriculture Department to the post of Joint Secretary in the Forest Department.

Minister Shibu Baby John said the appointment was aimed at sustaining the cashew industry and ensuring tangible benefits for workers in the sector.

The decision, however, comes amid criticism of the UDF government's handling of Venkitaraman, who is the primary accused in the 2019 road death of journalist K M Basheer.

The latest appointment has therefore brought renewed attention to the criminal case, in which the trial proceedings are currently on hold.

Government’s stance

The Kerala High Court recently stayed the trial for one month following a petition filed by Basheer's wife, Jaseela.

The petition was filed after the state government told the court on September 17, 2026, that it did not see the need to appoint a special public prosecutor for the case. This differed from the government's earlier in-principle decision to appoint a dedicated lawyer.

Jaseela questioned the experience and competence of the existing prosecutor to handle a complex trial involving nearly 100 witnesses. Before moving the High Court, she had submitted representations to the Home Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department.

The High Court subsequently directed the government to produce records related to its earlier decision to appoint a special public prosecutor. The next hearing has been scheduled for October 27, 2026.

Venkitaraman faces charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, including culpable homicide, destruction of evidence and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The charges relate to the death of Basheer, whose two-wheeler was hit by Venkitaraman's car in Thiruvananthapuram on August 3, 2019.

The government's position on the appointment of a special prosecutor has also drawn criticism from community leaders and media representatives.

A Saifudeen Haji, vice-president of Kerala Muslim Jamaath and director of Siraj daily, where Basheer had served as bureau chief, alleged that Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Chief Secretary Biswanath Sinha had deliberately blocked the appointment of senior lawyer A Santosh Kumar as special public prosecutor.

Saifudeen claimed that the government had earlier agreed to the appointment in court, but that the Chief Minister later intervened and rejected the request on the ground that the incompetence of the existing prosecutor had not been established.

He also alleged that Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had not been informed about the decision and had said he was unable to change the outcome.

According to Saifudeen, several senior leaders had told him that the decision was not a collective one by the party.

He held the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary responsible and warned that the newspaper management and Basheer's family were prepared to organise protests in Thiruvananthapuram if the government did not reverse the decision.

Earlier protest by journalists

The new appointment also comes months after Venkitaraman faced a protest by journalists during his tenure as Agriculture Department Director.

In June 2026, he left a press conference at the Assembly Media Room that was being addressed by Agriculture Minister T Siddique.

Journalists attending the briefing staged a protest after Venkitaraman took a seat alongside the minister and refused to participate in the event while he remained there.

The minister initially offered to continue with the briefing. The journalists, however, maintained their stand.

Venkitaraman subsequently sought the minister's permission and left the hall, following which the press briefing resumed.