CBI begins investigation into Paresh Mesta murder case

Four months after the state government handed over the probe into murder of 19-year-old Paresh Mesta, a Hindu activist, at Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the central agency has started investigation by re-registering the FIR.

The state government had handed over the probe to CBI on the request by Mesta’s parents.

Paresh Mesta, a resident of Tulasinagar in Honnavar taluk was murdered on December 6, 2017 in Honnavar. His body was found floating in Honnavar’s Shettikere lake on December 8, 2017.

The CBI FIR names five accused persons – Azad Annigeri, Ashif Rafiq, Mohammed Faisal Annigeri, Imtiyaz Gani and Salim. A senior police official said that local police had also named the five accused in their FIR.

According to the CBI FIR, the five accused had gathered in front of Good Luck Hotel in Honnavar.

They indulged in stone throwing and went on a rampage damaging shops, temples and vehicles.

The gang then waylaid Mesta and killed him. They later threw the body in the Shettikere lake to destroy evidence.

The murder had led to widespread violence in Uttara Kannada. The state government handed over the probe to the CBI through a notification on December 13, 2017.

The Union government issued the notification under Delhi Police Establishment Act on April 10, 2018. CBI’s Chennai Zone has re-registered the FIR.