CBI takes over Parvinder Singh Jhota murder probe; team in Mansa to meet family
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation into the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, officials said on Wednesday. The decision comes a day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said his government would hand over the case to the central agency, as demanded by Jhota's family.
A CBI team reached the Mansa police station on Tuesday night to take over case records and seized material. A formal letter communicating the transfer has been issued to the Punjab Police, officials said.
Jhota's family is expected to reach the Mansa Circuit House at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, where a CBI team led by an officer of Deputy Inspector General rank will meet them and record their statements. Forensic experts, drug control officials and other specialists are also reaching Mansa shortly as part of the investigation, the agency said.
Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight inside a medical store in a busy marketplace in Mansa on October 13. He had been campaigning against the alleged sale of addictive substances at chemist shops in the district. According to the police, Ashwani Kumar, the owner of the store, opened fire after Jhota questioned him over the alleged sale of drugs to an elderly man. Kumar was later taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan.
The shooting took place while Jhota was hosting a live stream on Facebook, and footage from the broadcast circulated widely online.
The killing quickly acquired a political dimension in Punjab, which is scheduled to hold Assembly elections early next year. The Aam Aadmi Party government and the state police had so far maintained that the murder stemmed from a "personal enmity" — a claim contested by Jhota's family, which sought a central probe. Opposition parties in the state have cited the case to question the government's handling of law and order.
The transfer of the case to the CBI marks a shift from the state government's earlier position. Announcing the decision, Chief Minister Mann said the step was taken in response to the family's demand. Officials have not indicated how long the central agency's investigation is expected to take.
On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Jhota's family in Mansa during a day-long tour to meet relatives of people who had recently died after speaking out against the drug menace in the state.
Punjab has for years grappled with a serious drug addiction problem, and successive governments have faced criticism over the pace of enforcement and de-addiction efforts. Activists who speak out against the trade often do so with limited protection, a concern that has been raised repeatedly by civil society groups in the state.
Jhota's post-mortem and cremation are yet to take place, officials said. The family has said it wants a thorough, time-bound investigation covering not only the shooter but also the wider network that supplies and sells illegal substances in the region.
