Mansa (Gurpreet Singh): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated its probe into the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab’s Mansa district, with the alleged sale of banned psychotropic substances through chemist shops emerging as a key area of investigation.
The agency has formally taken over the case from Punjab Police and begun collecting documents and evidence related to the investigation. A CBI team visited Mansa police station the previous night to take possession of case records and seized material, officials said.
Apart from establishing the circumstances surrounding Jhota’s murder, investigators will examine whether the killing had any connection with the alleged unrestricted sale of prohibited psychotropic drugs in the area.
Chemist Ashwine Kumar and other individuals linked to the case are likely to face further questioning, with the CBI expected to seek their custody as the investigation progresses. The agency has not publicly established any connection between the alleged drug sales and the murder.
The investigative team, led by a senior Deputy Inspector General-level officer, is also scheduled to speak with Jhota’s family at the Mansa Circuit House. The family was expected to arrive at 11.30 am to assist the agency with information relevant to the case.
To strengthen the investigation, forensic experts and officials from the drug control department, along with other specialists, are being brought in to examine evidence and investigate the alleged drug trade.
The involvement of technical and regulatory experts is expected to help investigators assess the material collected so far and determine whether the sale of restricted substances points to a wider network or regulatory lapses.
With the transfer of the case to the central agency, the investigation will now examine both the murder itself and the circumstances surrounding the alleged availability of banned drugs at local medical stores.
The CBI’s findings are expected to clarify the sequence of events and establish whether the suspected links between the killing and the alleged drug trade are supported by evidence.
