Right-wing outfits & family reject CBI report on Hindu activist Paresh Mesta death case.

KARNATAKA

Hindutva activist Paresh Mesta death case: Family, right-wing outfits reject CBI report.

Hindutva groups like Sriram Sene and Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi have demanded that the case be reopened and probed again.

PTI | Bengaluru | Oct 4, 2022:: The family members as well right-wing outfits in Karnataka have rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report on Paresh Mesta’s death, which said he died accidentally in Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district five years ago.

On the other hand, former chief minister Siddaramaiah during whose tenure the death took place slammed the BJP for taking ‘unhealthy and unethical political advantage’ from this incident after the CBI said the death was not murder.

‘A communal murder’

Mesta, 18, was a fisherman. He was found dead on December 6, 2017. The BJP and other right-wing organisations had then alleged that it was a communal murder and had demanded a CBI probe into the case.

Accordingly, the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah assigned the case to the CBI. The premier investigation agency in its report said no incriminating evidence emerged showing the involvement of accused persons and the medico-legal evidences established that he died of drowning.

Mesta’s father Kamalakar Mesta alleged his son was murdered as his body bore multiple injuries. He demanded that the case should be investigated once again.

Hindutva groups demand reinvestigation

Workers of Vishwa Hindu Parishath and Bajrang Dal stage a protest against the death of Paresh Mesta, in front of the Deputy commissioner’s office in Mangaluru in 2017. file photo | Photo Credit: MANJUNATH H S

Fringe outfit Srirama Sena chief Pramod Muthalik condemned the probe report and demanded reopening of the case.

“The CBI report is an injustice. I condemn it and I oppose it. This is cheating. Paresh Mesta’s case is 100 per cent murder. The then Congress government destroyed all the evidences,” Muthalik alleged.

“The case must be reopened and a detailed investigation should take place. It is a major injustice. We in Sriram Sena will fight it out in a big way,” Muthalik demanded.

Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi spokesperson Mohan Gowda said there were strong chances that evidence was destroyed and hence the case should be reopened and investigated properly.

Siddaramaiah hits back

In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah came down heavily on the BJP after the CBI report, which termed Mesta’s death accidental.

The Congress stalwart tweeted, “CBI has, in its report, stated that Paresh Mesta’s death was accidental & was not due to murder. This report is a slap on the face of @BJP4Karnataka. If BJP has any shame left, it should apologise for its slanderous campaign.”

He also said: “BJP4Karnataka took unhealthy & unethical political advantage from the deaths of the innocent youth. The power the BJP is enjoying has stains of the blood of these innocent youth,” the former chief minister added.

CBI files B report in Paresh Mesta case, declares it accidental death.

According to sources, Paresh Mesta’s body did not have any external injuries or assault marks to indicate he was tortured and killed

The Hindu News Bureau | Bengaluru | Oct 4, 2022:: The CBI has filed B report in Paresh Mesta case terming the death as accident. The CBI, in its closure report, cited post mortem and forensic reports. The B report also cites non-availability of evidence to corroborate with the accusation made in the FIR.

According to sources, the body did not have any external injuries or assault marks to indicate he was tortured and killed, as was alleged.

The case

A view of Shetty Kere in Honnavara where the body of Paresh Mesta was found, in Uttara Kannada district. file photo | Photo Credit: M. A. Sriram

The victim, 18-year-old Paresh Mesta, who was aligned with right-wing organisations went missing on December 6, 2017 from Honnavar town in Uttara Kannada district, a day after communal clashes broke out. Two days later, Paresh’s body was found floating in a pond near the bus stand.

Kamalakar Mesta, father of the victim, alleged in the complaint that his son was tortured and killed. Following this, BJP leaders Anant Kumar Hegde, Shobha Karandlaje and others accused the government of supporting the killers. The incident led to communal clashes in the region and a tense situation prevailed for many days.

The CBI has approached the victim’s family with updates of the investigations but the father has refused to sign the report.

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Courtesy: PTI & The Hindu.

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