CBI Registers FIR, Takes Over Probe Into Punjab Anti-Drug Activist Jhota’s Murder

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case into the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab’s Mansa and taken over the investigation, officials said on Wednesday. A team of CBI officials has reached Punjab to examine all aspects of the killing, a day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the transfer of the case following a demand from the victim’s family.

Jhota was shot dead inside a medical store in a busy Mansa marketplace on October 13 while broadcasting live on Facebook. He was known for campaigning against the alleged illegal sale of addictive pharmaceutical drugs at chemist shops.

According to police, medical store owner Ashwani Kumar allegedly opened fire after Jhota questioned him over the sale of drugs to an elderly man. Kumar was subsequently arrested in Salasar, Rajasthan. The killing triggered widespread protests and a political row in Punjab, which is scheduled to hold Assembly elections early next year.

Family’s Demand For CBI Probe Accepted

Announcing the decision on Tuesday, Mann said the state government had accepted the family’s demand for a central investigation.

“We stand firmly with the father and the family of Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was fighting against drugs. Accepting the demand of the family, we are handing over this case to the CBI. Our fight against drug peddlers is all-out. We will not back down from whatever tough steps we have to take to make Punjab drug-free,” Mann said in a Punjabi-language post on X.

The chief minister reiterated his government’s commitment to taking stringent action against drug trafficking. AAP leader Manish Sisodia also welcomed the decision, saying the case was being transferred in response to the family’s demand.

Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the government’s campaign against drugs would continue and noted that state police had already taken action against the accused, according to the report.

The transfer follows days of protests in Mansa, where Jhota’s family and supporters had refused to allow his last rites until their demand for a CBI investigation was met.

Amit Shah Seeks CBI Probe Into Two Other Drug-Related Deaths

Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the transfer of Jhota’s murder case to the CBI but questioned the Punjab government’s handling of two other cases involving people reportedly affected by drug-related activities.

During his Punjab visit on Tuesday, Shah met the families of victims from Mansa, Sangrur and Gurdaspur. He called for the cases involving Gulzar Singh of Sangrur and Bikramjit Singh of Gurdaspur to be handed over to the central agency as well.

“Bhagwant Mann did one good thing of transferring the murder case of Mansa anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). I assure the family that the accused would be caught, irrespective of their connections, and justice will be provided. However, the cases involving the other two victims should also be handed over to the CBI, as neither people of Punjab nor BJP have trust in AAP's investigations,” Shah said.

He accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to curb drug trafficking effectively and said the Centre was committed to making Punjab and the rest of India drug-free by December 31, 2029.

Meanwhile, seven days after Jhota’s killing, his post-mortem examination and cremation had reportedly remained pending as the family and supporters continued to demand justice. The CBI’s takeover is expected to focus on the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the evidence gathered in the case.