Hyderabad: Satyam Babu, the man who was released after eight years in prison without being convicted of any crime, on Monday met the Krishna district collector and sought relief for his poor family.
Babu, who was acquitted by the Hyderabad High Court in the Ayesha Meera rape and murder case, met the official along with representatives of Dalit organisations, to seek government assistance.
He detailed how his family had to suffer immensely while he was imprisoned.
District Collector Ahmad Babu directed the officials to allot a house to the family and also provide a job on contract basis to Satyam’s brother.
“We will provide all the possible assistance under the government rules,” he assured Satyam Babu.
Meanwhile the state government was considering reopening of the Ayesha Meera case in which the High Court has passed stringent remarks against the state police for falsely implicating a Dalit man while the real culprits remained at large.
A decision in this regard was expected soon as the state police chief K. Sambasiva Rao was away on a visit to the Middle East.
On his return Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was expected to take a decision in consultation with the advocate-general.
Already Dalit organisations along with other activists have been holding protest demonstrations demanding action in the matter and arrest of the real culprits.
The student community has also taken to the street on the issue.
Meanwhile senior state minister D. Umamaheshwar Rao, who hails from Vijayawada said that his party always held the view that Satyam Babu was innocent.
“The then Congress government had tried to shield the politically connected culprits and our party had fought against it,” Umamaheshwar Rao said assuring that the government will take all the possible measures to bring the culprits to the book.
“Now that the High Court has given its verdict, it is the responsibility of the government to take action”, he said.
This was in sharp contrast to the stand taken by the Vijaywada Police Commissioner Gutam Sawang that the police might file an appeal against the High Court verdict acquitting Satyam Babu.
Other police officials said that they were still studying the judgment and will take a decision on the basis of sound legal advice.
The High Court had admonished the officials who had investigated the case in a shoddy manner and ordered payment of Rs100,000 (Dh5,687) to Satyam Babu.
