Punjab: CBI takes over probe into killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota

The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into the murder of Punjab’s anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, The Hindu reported on Wednesday.

Jhota was shot dead inside a medical store in Mansa district on October 13. He was hosting a Facebook Live session when the medical store owner shot him after the activist confronted him for allegedly selling drugs to an elderly man.

The store owner accused in the matter, Ashwani Kumar, was arrested from Rajasthan’s Salasar on October 14, PTI reported.

Jhota’s post-mortem and cremation are yet to be carried out. His family and supporters have refused to allow the funeral until they get justice.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that the Punjab government would hand over the case to the CBI, as demanded by Jhota’s family. Later in the day, a team of the central agency arrived in Mansa to take over records and evidence seized in the case.

After taking over the case, the CBI said that Jhota’s post-mortem will be conducted at a medical institute in Chandigarh, The Hindu reported.

Soon after the incident, the state’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party had said that the incident was condemnable but a result of “personal enmity”.

On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Jhota’s family and alleged that drug trade had reached “its peak” in Punjab under the AAP...

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