CBI registers FIR in murder of anti-drug activist Jhota, team reaches Punjab

FIR in Jhota murder case days after activist was shot dead in Mansa

NEW DELHI: 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.According to news agency PTI, a team of CBI officials has reached Punjab to investigate all aspects of the killing, they said, a day after chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced that the case would be transferred 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 marketplace in Mansa on October 13. He was known for raising his voice against the alleged illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops.According to the police, store owner Ashwani Kumar opened fire on Jhota after the activist questioned him for selling drugs to an elderly man. Kumar was later taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan.The incident took place while Jhota was hosting a Facebook Live session and triggered a political row in Punjab, which is scheduled to go to the polls early next year.

Family demands CBI investigation

Announcing the decision on Tuesday, Mann said the government had accepted the family's demand for a CBI 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 post on X in Punjabi.The chief minister reiterated that his government would continue taking stringent measures against drug trafficking and work towards making Punjab drug-free.AAP leader Manish Sisodia also welcomed the decision, saying the transfer of the case to the CBI had been made 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 the state police had already taken action against those accused in the case, the newspaper reported.

Amit Shah questions handling of other drug-related cases

Union home minister Amit Shah welcomed the transfer of Jhota's murder case to the CBI 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 involving Gulzar Singh of Sangrur and Bikramjit Singh of Gurdaspur should also be transferred to the central agency."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 also accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to tackle drug trafficking effectively and said the Centre was committed to making Punjab and the rest of India drug-free by December 31, 2029.

Last rites remain pending

Seven days after Jhota was shot dead, his post-mortem examination and cremation had still not taken place.His family members and supporters have refused to allow the last rites until they receive justice.The CBI's takeover follows sustained demands from the family for a central investigation into the killing. The agency's team is now in Punjab to examine the case and investigate the circumstances surrounding the activist's death.