World · South & Central Asia · 1 hr ago
Punjab to hand Jhota murder probe to CBI
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on October 20 that the state will transfer Parvinder Singh Jhota’s murder probe to the CBI.
Jhota was an anti-drug activist who was shot dead on October 13 inside a medical store in Mansa, Punjab, after challenging its owner over the sale of drugs.
His family had demanded a CBI investigation and has been protesting with supporters in Mansa.
Seven days after the killing, the family was still refusing to allow his post-mortem and cremation until it felt justice was being pursued.
The store owner, Ashwani Kumar, was taken into custody in Rajasthan.
Sidhu Moosewala’s father, Balkaur Singh, visited the protest and questioned the delay, urging Jhota’s father to raise concerns about gangsters with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The CBI is now expected to investigate the killing, though no further steps or timetable were given.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on October 20 that the state would hand the murder investigation of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota to the CBI.
Mann said the decision accepted a demand made by Jhota’s family.
Jhota was shot dead inside a medical store in Mansa on October 13.
The family and supporters had been protesting in Mansa and withholding his post-mortem and cremation until they received justice.
The store owner, Ashwani Kumar, was taken into custody in Rajasthan.
- Who
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the state would hand over the probe into Parvinder Singh Jhota’s murder to the CBI.
- What
- The murder investigation is being transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
- When
- Mann made the announcement on October 20, 2026. Jhota was shot on October 13.
- Where
- Jhota was shot inside a medical store in a busy marketplace in Mansa, Punjab.
- Why
- Mann said the decision accepted the demand of Jhota’s family.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot inside a medical store in Mansa.
Jhota’s family and supporters staged a protest in Mansa and demanded a CBI probe.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the murder investigation would be handed over to the CBI.
- Victim
- Parvinder Singh Jhota
- Probe agency
- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
- Shooting date
- October 13
- Shooting location
- A medical store in a busy marketplace in Mansa
- Accused store owner
- Ashwani Kumar
- Announcement
- October 20, 2026, by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann
4 sources
Jhota murder case: CBI registers FIR in killing of anti-drug activist, team reaches Punjab
What has govt been doing for a week? Moosewalas father on Jhota murder probe
Parvinder Singh Jhota murder probe to be handed over to CBI: Bhagwant Mann
What people are saying
We stand firmly with the father of Parvinder Singh Jhota and his family.
Accepting the demand of the family, we are handing over this case to the CBI.
If the CBI probe is conducted fairly, everything will come out, including how much money reaches the people in power through the drug trade.