Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the murder investigation of 42‑year‑old anti‑drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa, Punjab, after his shooting on 13 October.
Jhota, a former athlete who once battled addiction, had become notorious for confronting pharmacies that sold addictive drugs, livestreaming his accusations and drawing a passionate following.
On the afternoon of 13 October he was gunned down inside a medical store in a bustling market while livestreaming a clash with owner Ashwani Kumar, who was arrested in Rajasthan shortly after.
Family and supporters, furious at what they see as a cover‑up, staged street protests demanding a CBI probe and even halted his last rites until justice was served.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, under pressure from opposition parties, announced the case transfer to the CBI hours before Home Minister Amit Shah met with the family on Tuesday, vowing a swift response.
A senior CBI officer led a team that arrived late Tuesday night, seized documents from Mansa City‑2 police station, and is set to interview Jhota’s family on Wednesday.
Forensic experts and drug‑control specialists will examine the evidence to reconstruct the shooting, while the cremation and post‑mortem remain pending, and the Home Ministry hints at transferring other drug‑related death cases to the central agency.