VIJAYAWADA: Speeding up the investigation into the decade-old B Pharmacy student Ayesha Meera murder case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case on Saturday against three employees of Vijayawada local court for destroying the material evidence in October 2014 when the case was being heard by the Hyderabad High Court.
The victim, 17-year-old Ayesha Meera, was found dead in her hostel room in Sri Durga Ladies hostel at Jupudi village in Ibrahimpatnam on the intervening night of December 26 and 27 in 2009.
After the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the State police on the directions of the High Court to investigate the sensational case afresh, failed to take the case to a logical conclusion, the court on November 29 directed the CBI to take up an investigation.
Following this, a team of CBI officials had visited the Vijayawada local court a week ago and collected information related to the destruction of evidence.
In their enquiry, CBI officials named three court officials Y Subba Reddy, T Kumari and P Venkat Kumar for resorting to corruption, destruction of evidence and concealment of the fact that the case was being heard by the HC. While Subba Reddy is a court superintendent, Kumari and Venkat Kumar are junior assistants.
CBI- Vizag branch officials filed a case against the three court officials under Sections 120b (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) of IPC and 13 (2) read with 13 (1)(D) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and directed them to appear before the investigation team.
The material objects exhibited during the trial of criminal cases should be preserved until the court is satisfied that the appeal time has expired and that no appeal has been presented or has been under hearing.
According to information gathered by TNIE, Mahila Sessions Court superintendent Y Subba Reddy was the brain behind the destruction of the evidence in the case. Subba Reddy is said to be notorious for corrupt practices and was even served memos several times.
The Mahila Sessions Court magistrate had convicted Pidathala Satyam Babu, a petty criminal, in the Ayesha murder case in September 2009. Challenging the verdict, a petition was filed in the High Court and subsequently material part of the record was submitted to the court for verification. After examination, the material was returned to the Mahila Sessions Court.
Subba Reddy was the official responsible to inform the same (material evidence returned by the HC) to IVth Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Court. He further concealed the fact that an appeal was filed against Satyam Babu conviction in the HC from the magistrate and the court clerk.
“Since the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Court had no clue about the appeal pending in HC, they destroyed the evidence and informed the same to the court staff. Subba Reddy concealed the information pertaining to the appeal and signed on application authorising destruction of the key material,” said court sources.
The issue came to light after the HC ordered registrar general (RG - Vigilance) to conduct a departmental inquiry into the evidence destruction.
“Principal district judge sent a detailed report to RG on the incident and held the three officials responsible for destroying the evidence. He also confirmed that the court staffers were involved in corrupt practices,” the sources said.