VIJAYAWADA: Shocked over the High Court order acquitting P Satyam Babu in the Ayesha Meera murder case, the Vijayawada Police are gearing up to challenge the court’s orders at a higher judicial authority.
Top officials were also surprised over the court’s orders seeking action against the investigation officers for allegedly erring in the probe into the rape and murder case that resulted in the arrest of Satyam Babu.
Within hours of the High Court delivering its judgement, the Vijayawada police got down to business and are awaiting for the judgment copy to go in for a reappeal. “We are surprised at the High Court orders. We will initiate necessary legal action after receiving the judgement copy. I have no further comment,” said Police Commissioner Gautam Sawang when approached by the media.
However, police officers said they had collected 18 proofs including a DNA test against Satyam Babu, which were examined by the Vijayawada Sessions Mahila Court before sentencing him to life imprisonment. “The investigation was carried out in a scientific manner and we have both technical and circumstantial evidence against Satyam Babu, which were presented to the court. We will approach higher authorities to challenge the High Court’s verdict,” said a senior officer in the city police.
The officials suspect that the High Court took into consideration the loopholes in the prosecution, but not the evidence collected by the police, before delivering the verdict. “At present, the DNA test is considered the ultimate evidence to prove Satyam Babu’s guilt. The vaginal swabs have been preserved. Anyone can conduct the DNA test again on Satyam Babu, to confirm his involvement in the crime,” another officer said.
When pointed out that the court expressed doubts on why none of the tests were conducted on another accused Koneru Satish, an IPS officer said that they had conducted DNA, blood and polygraph tests on all 36 suspects before zeroing in on Satyam Babu.