CBI closure report on Paresh Mesta death: Karnataka BJP to support reinvestigation?

Team Udayavani, Oct 5, 2022, 5:46 PM IST

Bengaluru: BJP in Karnataka has reportedly decided to support Paresh Mesta’s family to appeal the closure report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Mesta’s family as well right-wing outfits had rejected the CBI report on his death, which claimed that he died accidentally.

BJP leadership is of the opinion that if they go mute on the case now, it is going to dent the image of the party ahead of 2023 assembly elections. The party has taken a decision to support the family to make an appeal challenging the closure report, IANS reported sources as saying.

An IANS report quoted sources in the BJP explaining that the party launched an agitation and made the death case of Paresh Mesta case an issue during the 2018 assembly elections in the state as well.

Kamalakar Mesta, the father of the deceased youth, had already made his intentions clear 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 have not inquired about all suspected persons. The case had been handed over to CBI after all evidence was destroyed.

Paresh Mesta had disappeared following an incident of mob violence in Honnavar city on December 6, 2017. After two days, his body was found near a lake. The BJP and Hindu activists had alleged that Mesta was killed in the mob violence and killers had dumped the body later.

Opposition Congress has already launched an attack on the ruling BJP that every victory in the last assembly elections is smeared with blood. The party leaders had also asked for an apology from BJP for projecting it as a murder and accusing Congress of hushing up the case to appease minorities.

National General Secretary and BJP MLA C.T. Ravi has stated that the party would stand with the family of Paresh Mesta if they want reinvestigation of the case. “We stand with Paresh Mesta family if they want to go for an appeal also,” he said.

He further stated that Congress had ruled the country for 50 to 60 years and its reach can’t be ascertained, he stated pointing fingers at the CBI. Many cases have been reopened and the guilty are punished, he added.

Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Soorya slammed Congress for questioning the functioning of CBI and ED.

(With IANS inputs)