In a sharp indictment of the functioning of Andhra Pradesh Police, Hyderabad High Court on Friday acquitted a physically challenged Pidatala Satyam Babu in the Ayesha Meera rape and murder case and ordered the State Government to pay him a compensation of `1 lakh for his 8 years long imprisonment.
The High Court also directed the State Government to initiate action against the police officers who had investigated the case and arrested Satyam Babu.
Vijaywada police had arrested Satyam Babu in connection with the sensational rape and murder of 19 year old Ayesha Meera, a B-Pharmacy student. While the families of both Ayesha Meera and Satyam Babu denied his involvement in the case, the police insisted that he was the main culprit.
Shamshad Begum, mother of Ayesha had alleged that by arresting a Dalit, Satyam the police was trying to shield the real culprits as they were politically influential.
Ayesha Meera was found murdered in the bathroom of a hostel at Ibrahimpatnam near Vijaywada on December 27, 2007, triggering a public outcry as her mother led a prolong struggle alleging the involvement of the grand son of then deputy Chief Minister Koneru Ranga Rao.
Police claimed that it found a letter near the dead body of the girl in which the perpetrator said that as she had rejected his love he raped and killed her. The body was found in a pool of blood with a wound in the head.
Almost 8 months after the crime, the police arrested Satyam Babu, a resident of Anasagar in Jaggaiahpet mandal of Krishna district. Originaly he was caught on the charges of stealing a cell phone but later police claimed he confessed the rape and murder of the student.
During his imprisonment Satyam fell sick and both his legs were paralysed. But the police claimed that once he had fled from the jail and had to be re arrested.
The economic condition of the Dalit family was so pathetic that they could not hire the services of a lawyer to fight his case and Dalit and human rights organizations had to step in for him
Mahila Sessions court, Vijaywada declared him guilty on September 30, 2010 and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The judge pronouncing the verdict, observed that he could have been sentenced to death.
Satyam Babu’s family challenged it in the High Court which took nearly 7 years to find him innocent and acquitted him on Friday.
Ayesha Meera, who fought a long battle to bring the real culprits to book but failed, welcomed the High Court verdict. “Justice has finally been done. From the beginning I have been saying that an innocent Dalit youth was framed by the police to shield the real culprits”, she said.
Shamshad Begum demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore to Satyam Babu. “Nothing can compensate the loss of precious 8 years of his life due to the miscarriage of justice”, she said at her home in Tenali in Guntur ditrict.
High Court verdict brought cheers to the family of Satyam Babu. “We feel vindicated. We have been saying that this is a conspiracy against my brother. Now his innocence is proved. We are happy but who can return the 8 lost years of my brother”, said Satyamma, sister of the acquitted youth.