Mann announced the decision in a post on X after returning from Paris. He said the government stood firmly with Parvinder’s family and remained committed to fighting drugs. Accepting the family’s demand, the chief minister said he had ordered a CBI investigation into the case.
The BJP, however, questioned the timing of the announcement, alleging that Mann had taken the decision out of fear just hours before Amit Shah’s visit. BJP leader Ravneet Bittu wrote on X that the chief minister had not even met Parvinder Jhota’s family until then but ordered a CBI probe just hours before the Union home minister’s visit.
The Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and other opposition parties had been demanding a CBI investigation into the murder. Jhota’s family and an action committee formed in connection with the case had also written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking a CBI probe. Shah is scheduled to meet Parvinder Jhota’s family today.
Parvinder Jhota, an anti-drug activist, was killed on October 13. His family has not performed his last rites and has remained firm on its demand for a CBI investigation. The family also wants a team of doctors from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) to conduct the post-mortem examination of the body.
Meanwhile, the committee formed to seek justice in the case has demanded that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) confer martyr status on Parvinder Singh Jhota. Members of the anti-drug task force formed by Parvinder have also demanded that a statue be installed near the shop where he was killed.
In a separate development, the Punjab government constituted a committee of three women IAS officers on Monday to hold discussions with Parvinder Jhota’s family and supporters. The committee comprises Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar, Apneet Riyait and Mansa Deputy Commissioner Navjot Kaur. Brar is the Commissioner of the Faridkot Range, while Apneet Riyait has previously served as the Deputy Commissioner of Mansa.
How Parvinder Jhota Was Killed
Parvinder Jhota was killed on October 13 at a pharmacy following a confrontation with the shop owner. Jhota had reportedly asked the owner about a person who had allegedly purchased drugs from the establishment earlier that morning. The question led to an argument between the two.
Gunfire broke out during the dispute, resulting in Jhota’s death. The shop owner fled the scene after the killing but was subsequently arrested by the police.
Jhota had been making live videos on social media while confronting people he allegedly suspected of selling drugs. According to reports, before the incident, he had confronted medical store owner Ashwani Kumar and accused him of selling synthetic drugs.
The chief minister’s announcement of a CBI investigation marks a significant development in a case that has drawn demands from the victim’s family, an action committee and opposition parties. With the family continuing to withhold the last rites pending its demands, the investigation and the government’s response remain central to the dispute.
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