Andhra SIT seeks narco test on three suspects in 2007 Ayesha Meera murder case

The main suspects in the case are former minister Koneru Ranga Rao’s grandson Satish and his friends Abburi Ganesh and Chinthala Pawan Kumar.
Ayesha’s parents Iqbal Basha and Shamshad Begum in a pensive mood in Tenali on Friday (File | EPS)
Ayesha’s parents Iqbal Basha and Shamshad Begum in a pensive mood in Tenali on Friday (File | EPS)

VIJAYAWADA: In a major development in the sensational rape and murder case of B Pharmacy student Ayesha Meera in December 2007, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed a petition in the Fourth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court, seeking permission to conduct narcoanalysis on the suspects to nail the real criminals in the case. The petition will come up for hearing on April 27.

In the petition, SIT requested the court to send three suspects - former Congress minister Koneru Ranga Rao’s grandson Koneru Satish Babu and his friends Abburi Ganesh and Chinthala Pawan Kumar to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhi Nagar,  Gujarat, to undergo narcoanalysis and Brain Electrical Oscillating Signature Profiling Test (BEOSP or BEOS) after recording their consent. The SIT officials were of the view that these tests were important to bring out the facts in the case.

“It’s quite essential to send the respondents for the tests,” the SIT opined in the petition. This decision was taken after the three suspects gave evasive answers and refused to co-operate with the investigation agency during questioning on March 30.

After the Hyderabad High Court acquitted Satyam Babu in the case in April 2017, the parents of Ayesha demanded reinvestigation into the case. Satyam Babu, a petty criminal, was arrested by police and charged with rape and murder of the girl. The HC in its verdict said he was framed in the case.

The police filed a petition in the Vijayawada metropolitan court way back in 2008 seeking narcoanalysis on Ayesha’s three roommates Kavitha, Sowmya, and Preethi, hostel warden Padma, Koneru Satish, Abburi Ganesh and Chinthala Pawan Kumar and cook Siva Anjaneyulu. The court asked them to approach the HC.

Though the HC gave its nod, the police did not conduct narcoanalysis on these persons and instead charged Satyam Babu with the murder.

“Had the police conducted narco test on the seven, the real culprits would have been behind bars,” commented a police official on condition of anonymity.

Three main suspects

The main suspects in the case are former minister Koneru Ranga Rao’s grandson Satish and his friends Abburi Ganesh and Chinthala Pawan Kumar

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