What Are the Latest Developments in the Ayesha Meera Case?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
In Vijayawada, on February 20, a CBI Court issued a directive for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to return the remains of Ayesha Meera, a B Pharmacy student, to her family for the performance of her final rites. This decision comes nearly nineteen years after the tragic events surrounding her rape and murder.
The court mandated that the last rites take place in Tenali on February 27, and requested the government to ensure all necessary arrangements and security are in place.
Additionally, the court instructed that the entire ceremony be documented through video recording in the presence of government officials.
The court has accepted the final report presented by the CBI, which included two postmortem examinations conducted on the victim's remains.
After consulting with forensic experts from Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, the CBI had previously deposited Ayesha’s remains with the court.
Ayesha's parents, Shamshad Begum and Syed Iqbal, filed a petition requesting the return of her remains. The court recognized their petition and subsequently issued orders to the CBI.
In June, the CBI reported the conclusion of their investigation into the case.
Ayesha, who was just 17 years old, was discovered deceased in her hostel bathroom on December 27, 2007, in Ibrahimpatnam near Vijayawada. In September of the following year, Pidathala Satyam Babu was arrested by the police.
The women’s sessions court found him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment in 2010. However, upon appeal, the high court acquitted him in 2017, citing insufficient evidence.
Following public interest litigations and petitions from Ayesha's parents, the case was handed over to the CBI in 2018.
Despite these efforts, the murder mystery has remained unresolved for nearly 19 years.