Ayesha Meera case: Vijayawada court accepts CBI closure report, remains returned to family

Vijayawada: Nearly 19 years after the 2007 rape and murder of 17-year-old student Ayesha Meera, a Vijayawada court on Friday handed over her mortal remains to her parents following the acceptance of the CBI’s closure report.

However, the family members of Ayesh Meera reiterated that their fight for justice would continue. The remains, which were exhumed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2019 for a re-postmortem examination, were received by her parents, Shamshad Begum and Iqbal Basha, at the court premises.

The family later left for Tenali, where the last rites were completed.

What did the CBI tell the court?

The development comes days after the court accepted the CBI’s final report submitted in June last year, declaring the case closed.

The Central agency informed the court that it had found no legally admissible evidence to proceed against any individual in connection with the crime. The court observed that there was no material warranting further investigation.

It also recorded that the victim’s parents expressed dissatisfaction with the closure report and cited financial constraints in pursuing further legal remedies.

Parents express anguish, vow to continue fight

Speaking to reporters after receiving the remains, Shamshad Begum said the family’s 19-year struggle had not yielded justice.

“Despite our long battle, we have not got justice. I pray that those who killed my innocent daughter receive the harshest punishment,” she said.

Alleging that evidence in the case had been tampered with, she vowed to continue the fight until the real culprits are brought to book. The family is planning to seek an appointment with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to request further action.

Women activists from various organisations and members of the Committee for Justice accompanied the family to express solidarity. They held placards demanding justice for Ayesha.

However, police prevented them from taking out a rally, stating that no prior permission had been obtained.

Crime that shocked Andhra Pradesh

Ayesha Meera, a B Pharmacy student, was found murdered in the bathroom of a private women’s hostel at Ibrahimpatnam near Vijayawada on December 27, 2007.

Her body was discovered in a pool of blood. The brutal nature of the crime triggered widespread outrage across the state.

Police initially questioned several suspects, including hostel employees. Nearly nine months later, a youth identified as Satyam Babu was arrested in connection with the case.

Conviction and acquittal

In 2010, a women’s sessions court convicted Satyam Babu and sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, in 2017, the High Court acquitted him, citing a lack of evidence.

Following petitions filed by the victim’s parents and public interest litigations, the High Court in 2018 ordered a CBI investigation into the case.

Exhumation and fresh probe

As part of its investigation, the CBI exhumed Ayesha’s body in 2019 to conduct a re-postmortem examination. Despite reinvestigating the case, the agency concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute any person.

With the court accepting the CBI’s closure report, the case currently stands closed, bringing an end to nearly two decades of legal proceedings, though the family continues to seek justice through other possible avenues.