Justice Denied: Ayesha Meera Case Officially Closed After 18-Year Legal Battle

VIJAYAWADA — For Syed Iqbal Basha (62) and Shamshad Begum (60), the walk out of the Vijayawada court on Friday was the heaviest they have ever taken. After 18 years of demanding the truth, they left not with a conviction, but with a bag of bones. Following the court proceedings, the parents traveled to the Chenchupet burial grounds to finally lay what was left of their daughter to rest.

1. A Systemic Collapse of Justice

The closure follows a “Final Report” submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) earlier this month. The agency admitted that despite exhuming the body and launching a fresh probe in 2018, there was no sufficient evidence to move forward.

• The Final Verdict: On February 21, Judge Annapurna accepted the CBI’s closure report, effectively ending all legal avenues for the family.
• A Mother’s Grief: “This is what we have got after 18 years,” Shamshad Begum told reporters while clutching the remains. “Even the last flicker of belief that justice would be served has evaporated. We had to fight the court just to get her body back.”

2. A Timeline of Failed Investigations

The Ayesha Meera case has become a symbol of investigative incompetence and alleged political interference in Andhra Pradesh.

• The Crime (2007): Ayesha, a first-year B. Pharm student, was found murdered and raped in her hostel room in Ibrahimpatnam on December 27, 2007.
• The Wrong Man (2008-2017): Police arrested Satyam Babu, a man with a physical disability that made it nearly impossible for him to have committed the crime. He was sentenced to life in 2010 but was eventually acquitted by the High Court in 2017. The court slammed the police for framing an innocent man to protect influential figures.
• The CBI Probe (2018-2026): Under immense public pressure, the case moved to the CBI. In 2019, they exhumed her remains in Tenali for a second autopsy. However, seven years later, the agency has concluded that the trail is cold.

3. Allegations of a Cover-Up

Throughout the years, the parents have maintained that their daughter was murdered by individuals with high-level political connections, specifically pointing toward the family of a former state politician. They alleged that the crime scene was tampered with and that the initial investigation was a “planned script” to shield the wealthy and powerful.

The Long Road to Nowhere: Case Summary