The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab’s Mansa and taken over the probe, officials said on Wednesday. Citing news agency PTI, they said a CBI team has reached Punjab to look into all aspects of the killing. The move came a day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced the case would be handed to the central agency, following a demand from Jhota’s family.
Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight inside a medical store in a busy Mansa market on October 13. He was known for speaking out against the alleged illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops. According to police, store owner Ashwani Kumar opened fire after Jhota questioned him over selling drugs to an elderly man. Kumar was later detained in Salasar, Rajasthan.
The shooting happened while Jhota was conducting a Facebook Live session, and it has sparked a political row in Punjab, which goes to the polls early next year.
Family’s demand for CBI probe accepted
Announcing the decision on Tuesday, Mann said the government had accepted the family’s demand.
“We stand firmly with the father and family of Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was fighting against drugs. In line with the family’s demand, we are handing this case to the CBI. Our fight against drug peddlers is all-out, and we will not hold back from any tough step needed to make Punjab drug-free,” Mann said in a Punjabi post on X.
He reiterated that his government would keep up strict action against drug trafficking. AAP leader Manish Sisodia also welcomed the move, saying the transfer was made in response to the family’s request. Punjab cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the anti-drug campaign would go on and noted that state police had already acted against the accused, the newspaper reported.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the transfer but criticised the Punjab government for not handing over two other cases involving people affected by drug-related activities. Speaking in Punjab on Tuesday after meeting families from Mansa, Sangrur and Gurdaspur, Shah said the cases of Gulzar Singh of Sangrur and Bikramjit Singh of Gurdaspur should also go to the CBI.
“Bhagwant Mann did one good thing by transferring the murder case of Mansa anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota to the CBI. I assure the family that the accused will be caught, regardless of their connections, and justice will be delivered. But the other two cases should also be handed to the CBI, because neither the people of Punjab nor the BJP trust AAP’s investigations,” Shah said.
He also accused the AAP government of failing to curb drug trafficking effectively and said the Centre is committed to making Punjab and the rest of India drug-free by December 31, 2029.
Last rites still pending
A week after Jhota was killed, his post-mortem and cremation have still not taken place. His family and supporters have refused to allow the last rites until they get justice.
The CBI’s takeover follows persistent demands from the family for a central investigation. The agency’s team is now in Punjab to examine the case and the circumstances of the killing.
