How Karnataka's Paresh Mesta Case Turned Communal & How CBI Ruled Out Murder

In 2017, Hindutva outfits fanned communal tension by claiming that the Hindu youth was murdered.

In 2017, tension gripped the town of Honnavara, in the coastal district of Uttara Kannada in Karnataka, after 21-year-old Paresh Mesta was found dead under suspicious circumstances on 8 December.

The death led to a political standoff between the Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the state unit of the BJP. The BJP alleged that Paresh Mesta was killed for being a Hindu and that Congress government was unable to control attacks on Hindutva workers.

Five years later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which was investigating the case has filed a B-report in the case and has concluded that Mesta's death was accidental and not a murder.

Here is a look back at the five year old case and the implications it had on the state politics.

What Happened in December 2017?

On 5 December 2017, a small fight ensued between two religious communities in Uttara Kannada's Honnavara. While communal tension prevailed in the district, 21-year-old Paresh Mesta went missing for two days.

More than 48 hours later, Mesta's decomposed body was found floating in one of the rivers in Honnavara. On the day that the body discovered, the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrived in Kumta, Dakshina Kannada for an event.

While the family grieved and claimed that the youth was killed, the BJP was quick to accuse the ruling Congress of not protecting people who stood for "the Hindu cause."

Images of Mesta's body, which were captured by the locals who recovered the same started making rounds in the media. This also led to the speculation that Mesta was tortured and mutilated before being dropped in the river.

Fake News, Communal Tension Follow Mesta's Death

Back then, the Superintendent of Police, Dakshina Kannada termed the death as 'Samanya Saavu' – a normal death – which resulted in widespread criticism of the police. Many Hindutva organisations accused the government of displaying institutional apathy towards the Hindu community.

However, allegedly due to increasing political pressure, the police registered an FIR against five Muslim youths – Imtiaz, Azad, Amir, Salim, and Asif – in the case.

Social media started buzzing with claims that a worker of the Sangh Parivar was brutally murdered and tortured by Muslims.

Taking to twitter, BJP leaders including Arvind Limbavali and Shobha Karandalje allegedly peddled fake news, sharing uncorroborated details of the alleged murder.

A forensic report from Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore stated that there were no signs of torture on the body of the youth. With the BJP threatening to intensify agitations over Mesta's death – despite the Karnataka police making progress in its investigation – the Congress government handed over the case to the CBI.

Despite a forensic report from the Kasturba Medical college suggesting that Mesta's body had no signs of torture or marks of mutilation, the BJP and other Hindutva organisations intensified agitations against the Congress government. This led to communal clashes in the coastal district.

Four days after Paresh Mesta's body was found, the protesters who were agitating in Kumta allegedly turned violent.

When a few miscreants allegedly started stone pelting, the police resorted to lathi-charge to maintain law and order. However, the relentless angry mob set the car of the then Inspector General of Police (western range) Hemanth Nimbalkar on fire.

Meanwhile, Shobha Karandlaje, who was linking Mesta's death to communal violence, was also booked for allegedly making inflammatory tweets on the rape of a minor Dalit girl. However, the BJP continued to claim that Mesta was a victim of radical Islamic thought till elections were held in the state.

Political Battle Over Paresh Mesta's Death

The political battle over the death of Paresh Mesta further intensified as the Karnataka state was poll bound in May, 2018.

The BJP further strengthened its campaign 'Hindu Lives Matter' by demanding a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the matter and also released a media statement claiming that the death was the 'handi-work of Jihadi elements' in the coastal district.

A year after his death, the then president of BJP, Amit Shah visited Mesta's residence, met with his family members and assured them speedy justice.

He also addressed the workers and claimed that the BJP would not sit quiet when workers of the Hindu community were repeatedly being killed for political reasons.

Meanwhile, another senior leader of the BJP, KS Eshwarappa openly asked the workers of the party in Koppal to "lie (over the incident) and win votes." In a video that went viral, the former deputy chief minister was seen saying, "We cannot afford to show our lack of awareness. We need to quickly lie and come out of it."

Unapologetically, he also evoked Mesta's death and accused the Congress government of turning Karnataka state into Kerala, and claimed that it was the 20th such killing of a 'Hindu activist.'

Reacting to BJP's claims of Mesta being murdered, the Congress accused Shobha Karandlaje, Eshwarappa, and other senior leaders of the party of igniting communal hatred in the poll-bound state.

Siddaramaiah cornered the BJP and claimed that the party was using Mesta's death for political reasons. "They are trying to be the champions of the Hindus by using this death and building a narrative of hate," he had said.

CBI Says Mesta Died Due to Drowning, Family Not Satisfied with Investigation

Five years later, the CBI which took over the case from the state police have now concluded that no evidence was found to prove that Mesta was murdered.

In a B-report submitted to the court, CBI has said that the investigators found no incriminating evidence that could otherwise prove that accused were involved in the murder of Paresh Mesta.

Sources in the CBI told The Quint, "As per the medico-legal evidence that we have gathered, it is clear that the cause of Mesta' death was anti-mortem drowning."

The CBI also wrote to the family of Mesta in Honnavara stating that his death was caused by accidental drowning. However, the family continues to believe that he was murdered

Speaking to reporters Uttara Kannada, Kamalakar Mesta, father of Paresh Mesta said, "The evidence has been destroyed and the investigation was a botch-up. I am not happy with this report. I am still of the opinion that my son was murdered. As of now, I have been sent the letter by the CBI, but we have not got justice. I will discuss with my family and then plan the next course of action."