K'taka: CBI says Paresh Mesta murder was an accident; family, politicians reject reports

Paresh Mesta (18) was a fisherman and was found dead on December 6, 2017, in mysterious circumstances during the riots in Honnavar town. The BJP and other right-wing organizations had then alleged that it was a communal murder and had demanded a CBI probe into the case.

Karwara (Karntaka): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday submitted the investigation report of the murder case of Paresh Mesta to the Honnavar court, mentioning no evidence of murder in the case. The report said that the medical reports confirmed death due to drowning, deeming it an accident. After examining the report, the Honnavar court postponed the verdict to November 16.

Paresh Mesta (18) was a fisherman and was found dead on December 6, 2017, in mysterious circumstances during the riots in Honnavar town. The BJP and other right-wing organizations had then alleged that it was a communal murder and had demanded a CBI probe into the case. The then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government had handed over the case to the CBI.

The family members as well as right-wing outfits in Karnataka have rejected the report. On the other hand, former chief minister Siddaramaiah also slammed the BJP for taking 'unhealthy and unethical political advantage' from this incident after the CBI said the death was not murder.

Paresh Mesta's father Kamalakar Mesta has expressed displeasure over the submission of the CBI report, alleging his son was murdered as his body bore multiple injuries. "The CBI has reported to the court that the death was accidental. But my son was killed. The previous government did not cooperate with us. Police have not interrogated all of them. After all the evidence was destroyed, the government handed it over to the CBI," the father of the deceased said, adding that he will take further steps in the matter after discussing it with everyone.

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 apologize for its slanderous campaign." He further said that "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."