CBI Steps In: Investigation Launched into Murder of Anti-Drug Activist in Punjab

CBI Takes Charge of Investigation

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has officially taken over the inquiry into the murder of Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug activist, in Mansa, Punjab. A specialized team has been dispatched to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, as confirmed by officials on Wednesday.

This team includes drug enforcement officers, forensic specialists, and GST officials, who arrived in Mansa on Tuesday night and have requested the local police to provide all relevant case documents.

Officials noted that the CBI team visited the victim's residence to meet with his family.

The post-mortem will be carried out at PGIMER in Chandigarh by a panel of experts, while a magistrate will oversee the inquest in the same city.

The CBI's involvement follows the Punjab government's Department of Home Affairs granting permission on October 20 for the agency to operate within the state for this investigation.

A notification from the Department of Personnel and Training was issued on Wednesday, extending the CBI's jurisdiction throughout Punjab for this case.

After receiving this notification, the CBI took over the investigation, which had initially been registered as an FIR at the City-2 police station in Mansa on October 14, and subsequently re-registered it under its own authority.

As per standard procedure, the CBI re-registers FIRs filed by state police before commencing its investigation. The agency's final report will be based on its findings, which may or may not confirm the initial allegations.

Ashwani Kumar, the store owner accused of shooting Jhota after the activist confronted him about selling drugs to an elderly man, was apprehended in Salasar, Rajasthan.

The shooting occurred during a Facebook Live session hosted by Jhota, igniting a political controversy in Punjab ahead of the upcoming elections.

Kumar faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, 1959, which pertain to murder, causing harm with dangerous weapons, criminal conspiracy, and illegal possession of firearms.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced on Tuesday that the CBI would handle the investigation into the murder.

"We stand firmly with the father and family of Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was an advocate against drugs. In response to the family's request, we are transferring this case to the CBI. Our commitment to combating drug trafficking is unwavering, and we will take all necessary measures to ensure Punjab is drug-free," Mann stated in a post on X in Punjabi.

Jhota's family had been advocating for a CBI investigation into his murder.

Known for his outspoken stance against the illegal sale of narcotics at pharmacies, Jhota was tragically shot in broad daylight inside a medical store located in a bustling marketplace in Mansa on October 13.