The Mahila Sessions Court in Vijayawada, on Wednesday, imposed life sentence to Pidatala Satyam Babu in connection with the sensational rape and murder case of B Pharmacy student, Ayesha Meera.
Delivering the verdict in the packed court hall, the Judge said that Satyam Babu would have to undergo a life sentence under Section 302 for murder, and spend 10 years in prison for rape and pay Rs. 1,000 in fine under the Section 376.
The two sentences will run concurrently.
The court said that Satyam Babu was convicted based on the report of forensic experts who analysed the accused’s handwriting samples and the DNA evidences.
Hearing the judgement, Satyam Babu’s mother Mariamma, fainted in the court.
Ayesha Meera of Tenali town in Guntur district, a B Pharmacy student was murdered in a private women’s hostel in Ibrahimpatnam on December 27th, 2007.
Satyam Babu of Anasagaram village in Nandigama mandal, who was arrested in a cellphone robbery case on August 17th, 2008 in Nandigama, had confessed to the murder of Ayesha during interrogation.
The police had submitted a 16 page chargesheet against Satyam Babu and examined 49 eyewitnesses, including some students, hostel staff and others, in connection with the case for 3 years.
Admitting the crime, Satyam Babu sought for capital punishment for his crime and urged court to provide employment to one of his family members as he is the only one to support his family.
The defence counsel appealed to the mercy of the Court and pleaded that the capital punishment should not be imposed as Satyam Babu is suffering from
serious health problems.
The defence counsel stated that there was no evidence to prove his crime in connection with the crime.
Satyam Babu has been suffering from GB Syndrome, which has badly affected his nervous system and his two legs are paralysed.
The incident had created a sensation in the state. The Ibrahimpatnam police had earlier arrested one Gurvinder Singh alias Laddu, a resident of Vijayawada, suspecting his involvement in the murder. Laddu was released due to lack of enough evidence to prove his guilt.
Ayesha’s parents Shamshad Begam and Iqbal Basha allege that the real culprits were not arrested.
Interestingly, Ayesha's mother Shamshad Begum differed with the prosecution in pinpointing the charge against Satyam.
The charge against the police was that they deliberately made efforts to save some political leaders in the case at the behest of the late deputy chief minister Koneru Rangarao. Police negligence in protecting the scene of offence itself came in for criticism from legal experts and rights activists.
The delay in the process of investigation had created doubts in the minds of public that there is a political interference and pressure on the police to save the offenders, because the name of the late Koneru Ranga Rao Municipal Minister had come into picture as his grandson Koneru Satish Babu, Sarpanch of Gudavalli village was alleged to be the prime accused in the above said case.
Allegations were also floated that the police had deliberately chosen Satyam Babu, a part-time construction worker from Nandigama sub-division of Krishna district as a soft target as there is nobody to talk about him, as he belongs to a poor dalit family and has lost his father. It was also alleged that the police was trying to kill Satyam Babu to close the case and to protect the real culprits.
Protesting the judgment, the Dalit organizations staged dharna in front of session’s court and demanded action against the real culprits.
Courtesy: INN