CBI Registers FIR, Takes Over Probe into Killing of Punjab Anti-Drug Activist
The central agency has dispatched a special team to Mansa to investigate Parvinder Singh Jhota's killing, as his family continues to demand justice and refuses to perform his last rites.
New Delhi, Oct 21: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case and taken over the probe into the alleged murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab’s Mansa district, officials said on Wednesday.
A special team of CBI officials has reached Punjab to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing and examine all aspects of the case, they said.
The team, comprising senior officers and specialists in forensics, drug control and Goods and Services Tax (GST), arrived in Mansa on Tuesday night. It subsequently submitted a formal requisition to the local police seeking the transfer of relevant documents and records connected with the investigation.
Jhota’s family members are scheduled to meet the CBI team at the Mansa Circuit House at 11.30 am on Wednesday. The delegation is being led by a senior Deputy Inspector General-rank officer, officials said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Tuesday that the state government had agreed to transfer the investigation to the central agency following the family’s demand for a CBI inquiry.
In a post on X in Punjabi, Mann expressed solidarity with Jhota’s father and family, describing the activist as someone who had been fighting against drug abuse and illegal drug sales. He reiterated the government’s commitment to taking strict action against drug traffickers and said the administration would continue its efforts to make Punjab drug free.
The family had repeatedly sought an independent investigation into the killing, demanding accountability for the death of the activist, who had publicly raised concerns about the alleged illegal sale of addictive substances.
Jhota was shot dead on October 13 inside a medical store in a crowded marketplace in Mansa. According to the allegations, the incident occurred after he questioned the shop owner over the sale of drugs to an elderly customer.
The shooting reportedly took place while Jhota was broadcasting a Facebook Live session, bringing the incident into public view and intensifying calls for action.
Ashwani Kumar, the medical store owner accused of opening fire, was taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan. The case subsequently triggered a political confrontation in Punjab, where the issue of drug trafficking has remained a major public concern ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.
Even seven days after the incident, Jhota’s post-mortem examination and cremation had not taken place. His relatives and supporters continued to refuse permission for the last rites, insisting that justice must be ensured before the final ceremonies are conducted.
The CBI’s intervention is expected to bring the investigation under the central agency’s supervision, with officials examining the available evidence, police records and statements from the family and other relevant individuals.
The agency’s team is also expected to investigate the circumstances leading to the confrontation at the medical store and establish the sequence of events surrounding the fatal shooting.
The case has drawn attention to the challenges faced by individuals campaigning against the illegal drug trade and renewed political debate over enforcement measures in Punjab.
The investigation will now seek to establish the facts surrounding Jhota’s death and determine responsibility in accordance with the law.
