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Right wing outfits seek reinvestigation in Mesta case after CBI closure report
After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a ‘B’ report or closure report in connection with the death of 18-year-old Paresh Mesta in Karnataka, terming it as an “accident”, right-wing outfits on Wednesday demanded a reinvestigation into the case
After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a ‘B’ report or closure report in connection with the death of 18-year-old Paresh Mesta in Karnataka, terming it as an “accident”, right-wing outfits on Wednesday demanded a reinvestigation into the case.
Mesta was found dead in a pond in Honnavar in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district in 2017.
Sriram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik condemned the probe report and demanded reopening of the case. “The CBI report is unjust. I condemn and oppose it. This is cheating. Paresh Mesta’s case is 100% a murder. The then Congress government destroyed all evidence,” Muthalik said.
“The case should be reopened and a detailed investigation should be carried out. We in Sriram Sena will fight for justice,” he added.
Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi spokesperson Mohan Gowda said there are chances that evidence was destroyed. “So, the case should be reopened and investigated properly,” he said.
The CBI has filed a B report in the case terming the death an accident, citing the autopsy and forensic reports. The B report also cites non-availability of evidence to corroborate the accusation made in the FIR.
The report was submitted at the Honnavar court, which will pronounce the verdict on November 16.
The CBI said no evidence was found to prove that Mesta was murdered and is set to write to the magistrate court in Honnavar informing that the investigation has concluded.
Last week, in a letter to Mesta’s family, a CBI investigating officer had said that the probe has established that the death was due to an accident.
“During investigation, no incriminating evidence has emerged showing involvement of the accused persons and the medico-legal evidence/opinion collected from multiple Institutions established the cause of death of Paresh Mesta as anti-mortem drowning. Accordingly, a closure report is being filed before the jurisdictional court,” read the letter.
BJP MLA and national general secretary CT Ravi said the party will back the family if they want a reinvestigation into the case. “We stand with Paresh Mesta’s family if they want to move court,” he said.
He added that Congress had “ruled the country for 50 to 60 years and its reach cannot be ascertained”. Many cases have been reopened and the guilty have been punished, he said.
Kamalakar Mesta, father of the deceased, had said that he will take up the matter with his family and decide on the next course of action on the closure report of the CBI.
“Police had not inquired about all suspects. The case was handed over to CBI after all evidence was destroyed. So, we will discuss and come to a decision on what to do next,” he said.
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya slammed the Congress for questioning the functioning of the CBI and the ED.
Reacting to the BJP MP’s allegations, former chief minister Siddaramaiah said, “We handed over the case to the CBI when the BJP was in power at Centre. Who controls the CBI? Who is the PM and who is the Union home minister? The BJP is trying to cover up the lies they said following the murder,” he said.
THE CASE
Mesta’s body was recovered from a pond in Honnavar on December 7, following a communal riot between Hindus and Muslims. The case was handed over to the CBI by the then Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah 10 days after the death amid the allegations.
Over the years, Mesta had become the face of Hindutva politics for the BJP ahead of the 2018 elections. The death was projected by the BJP, which was in Opposition in Karnataka at the time, as a “communal murder”.
In the days following the murder, BJP’s Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje had claimed that “hot oil was poured on Mesta’s body, resulting in it turning black” and alleged that the murder was carried out by “jihadi elements”.
She had said that a Shivaji tattoo was removed from Mesta’s body. However, as per the forensic report, issued on December 11, 2017: “The change in the colour of the deceased’s face is due to putrefaction. The fingers and toes of the deceased are in normal condition. There is no evidence suggestive of assault.”
