Ayesha Meera case: We are sure justice will prevail, says mother
VIJAYAWADA: Syed Shamshad Begum and Iqbal Basha, the parents of Ayesha Meera, who was murdered 11 years ago, expressed happiness over the case being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Interacting with mediapersons in Tenali, Shamshad Begum described the directions given by Hyderabad High Court Chief Justice Radhakrishnan as historic. “We are grateful to him and hope my daughter will finally get justice,” she said.
Thanking everyone who had cooperated with them in their 11-year struggle to get justice for their child, the couple said the HC’s latest direction will restore one’s faith in the judicial system.
“You might ask me if I believe in CBI and trust it to do justice and bring real culprits to book. I do, for trusting is the very nature of us Indians. Trusting others is in the blood of Indians,” she said.
Ayesha’s mother said that they had trusted the hostel warden and entrusted Ayesha to his care, but ended up losing their daughter. “We trusted Mahila Sessions Court in Vijayawada and women public prosecutor Uma Devi to do justice, but to no avail.
We trusted investigating officers, including Sub Inspector Srinivas, Circle Inspector Murali, former CPs CV Anand and KV Rajendranath Reddy, DSP Vijaya Kumar, but we did not get justice.” Begum said for 11-years they ran from pillar to post to see that justice prevailed. “After the TDP government was formed, we met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. He constituted the SIT and a committee to take action against the guilty officials in the case. But look at the kind of people the SIT comprised of. Constable Sanjay Pradeep, a member of the panel, was caught taking Rs 70 lakh bribe,” she said.
According to her, SIT again insisted on narco test on suspects and approached court for permission, when in fact narco test had been conducted in 2008 itself. However, some underwent the test, while others didn’t. A lie detector test was conducted on one of the suspects, Koneru Sathish, and it was proved he wasn’t speaking the truth. Venkanna, a forensic inspector involved in the probe, was put behind bars for taking bribe.
“The hostel warden and her husband were ready to undergo narco test but shied away at the last minute saying their health would be ruined if they underwent the test. Curiously, on August 7, 2017, SIT told the court that all the evidence was destroyed and they could do nothing. It was an attempt to close the case, but the HC was firm that investigation should continue. We had appealed to the court to hand over the case to CBI and today our faith in the judiciary has strengthened. Justice will prevail.”