Ayesha Meera rape case: CBI hands over mortal remains to parents who allege 'no justice after 19 years'

Hyderabad: CBI officials handed over Ayesha Meera's mortal remains to her parents on Friday as per court orders.

Ayesha's parents expressed grief, stating that their child was unjustly killed. They broke down in tears, saying that even after fighting for 19 years, they have not received justice.

The remains were cremated in Tenali as per religious customs, with the process video-graphed under official supervision.

Years earlier, a court-ordered re-postmortem led to exhumation and now with the case closed for lack of evidence, the CBI court mandated handover of the remains.

The sensational 2007 rape-murder involved 17-year-old B Pharmacy student Ayesha Meera, found dead in her Ibrahimpatnam women's hostel bathroom on December 27.

Police arrested Satyambabu nine months later in August 2008 and Vijayawada Women's Sessions Court sentenced him to life plus 10 years for rape in September 2010.

Satyambabu appealed in October 2010, securing acquittal from the Hyderabad High Court on March 31, 2017, due to insufficient evidence.

Ayesha's parents appealed, prompting the combined High Court to order a CBI probe in November 2018 resetting the investigation. The CBI submitted a closure report in June 2025 that was accepted recently.

“Where is justice? The CBI court closed it for lack of evidence. They have erased the crime scene. Justice favors politicians and the rich—ordinary folk and minorities get none. One law for the weak, another for others and this divides society,” said Meera's mother Shamshad Begum.

She demanded the Chief Minister assign it to a High Court sitting judge and accused officers CP Anand, SI Murali, Hanumanthu Rao, and Sahara Begum of sabotage.

“Re-exhuming violates our Muslim tradition gravely, but we agreed hoping for justice,” said father Iqbal. He vowed their fight would continue.