The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its B-report in the Paresh Mesta death probe, said that the youngster died after slipping into Shettikere lake. His death in 2017 had sparked communal tensions in Honnavara town of Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district, with the BJP alleging that Paresh’s death was communally motivated.
The CBI has submitted the report to the Honnavara magistrate court. The report mentions that in December 2017, Paresh Mesta had attended then Chief Minister's Siddaramaiah's programme in Kumta city after travelling about 25 kilometres with friends. The CBI has submitted statements of his friends and CCTV footage of the day as evidence to the court.
According to the CBI report, Paresh Mesta’s postmortem report said that he did not have any signs of assault since there were no blunt or sharp object injuries on his body. There were, however, two abrasions that could have been due to any simple reason such as falling down or hitting a wall, the report stated. His postmortem was carried out at the Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, which was followed by a second opinion by Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry, who also concluded that Mesta died due to drowning.
CBI’s report also claimed that Paresh frequently returned home in a drunken state and slept at his friends' houses quite often. He had no romantic relationships and had established a business by selling fish with his friends. Three to four days before his passing, the 18-year-old had requested permission from his parents to travel to the Hindu shrine site of Sabarimala.
Paresh, who went missing on December 8, 2017 in Honnavar town, was found dead near Shettikere lake a day later. His death had created communal unrest in Karnataka, with BJP Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje claiming that it was a communally motivated murder, and that Paresh had been burnt with hot oil and then drowned.
In response to these claims, a forensic expert from the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal had issued a point-by-point rebuttal on December 11, 2017 denying Shobha Karandlaje’s claims that Paresh was tortured before his death. “The change in colour of the face of the deceased is due to putrefaction (the process of decay),” the forensic team had said in its report. “The fingers and toes of the deceased are in normal condition. There is no evidence suggestive of assault,” the report had concluded.
In the run-up to Karnataka Assembly elections in 2018, Paresh’s death had become a massive political flashpoint, with the BJP accusing the then Congress government of not protecting Hindus from hate crimes. BJP leaders, particularly the MP Shobha Karandlaje, had alleged on December 9, 2017, a day after Paresh was found dead, that he was killed by a Muslim group. Shobha had also alleged that “hot oil was poured on his body resulting in the body turning black” and alleged that the murder was carried out by ‘jihadi elements’. Another BJP leader claimed that a Shivaji tattoo was removed from Paresh’s body by ripping his skin away. The report by the Kasturba Medical College expert, however, refuted the allegation and said that the tattoo was very much on the body.
Many political leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had visited Paresh's house. The then Siddaramaiah government had handed over the case to the CBI. The report by the CBI is a setback for the ruling BJP and the court will pronounce the verdict in this case on November 16.
The investigation found no incriminating evidence against the accused and since the CBI concluded that Paresh’s death was a case of accidental drowning, the report recommends that charges against the accused be dropped.
Kamalakar Mesta, father of Paresh, said that he would discuss with family and well-wishers and decide on his next step regarding the closure report of CBI. He had also alleged that the police had not inquired about all the suspected persons. National General Secretary and BJP MLA CT Ravi had stated that the party would stand with the family of Paresh Mesta if they want reinvestigation of the case.
(With IANS inputs)
