Uttara Kannada, Karnataka (The Hawk): In a significant development, a court in Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, on Thursday permitted the filing of objections to the CBI's closure report regarding the 2017 death of Paresh Mesta during a communal clash in the district.
Kamalakar Mesta, the father of the deceased, filed an objection to the closure report with the Judicial Magistrate (First Class) in the city of Honnavar, stating that they do not agree with the report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
In light of the submission, the court has authorised Mesta's family members to file objections on December 21.
In response to the youth's father's request, the Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra had previously stated that the CBI closure report will be reviewed for reinvestigation.
He added that the suspicious death of Paresh Mesta must be investigated to determine the exact cause of death.
The charge sheet stated that Mesta drowned after falling into Lake Shettikere on December 6, 2017, during communal clashes in the town of Honnavar. His remains were discovered there two days later.
It is stated that Mesta travelled approximately 25 kilometres with friends to attend a programme hosted by then-chief minister Siddaramaiah in Kumta city.
The BJP and Hindu activists asserted that the youth was killed during the mob violence and that his body was subsequently dumped. The issue was predicted to be the leading issue in the 2018 Assembly elections.
In opposition at the time, the BJP launched a full-scale agitation against the ruling Congress, causing it to suffer a setback in the 2018 Assembly elections.
Hindu activists, demanding the arrest of murderers, had set fire to the IGP's vehicle. Stones were thrown at the police, and numerous officers were injured.
Many political leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had visited Mesta's home. The government of the Congress party, led by Siddaramaiah, turned over the case to the CBI.
The CBI, which investigated the case for five years, concluded that Mesta's death was accidental and filed a closure report, which was viewed as a setback for the ruling BJP.
According to the CBI's report, Paresh Mesta's death was accidental and not the result of murder. This report is an insult to the Karnataka BJP. Siddaramaiah had stated that the BJP should apologise for its defamatory campaign if it has any remaining shame.
(Inputs from Agencies)