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.
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"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.
