Mansa/Chandigarh:
A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the family of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, a team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reached Mansa late Tuesday night and took over the investigation into his murder from the local police.
The agency is expected to begin its investigation on Wednesday, marking a significant development in a case that has triggered political confrontation in Punjab over the drug menace, the safety of those opposing drug trafficking and the state government's handling of law and order.
The CBI team reached Mansa following the decision to transfer the case to the central agency. The transfer comes amid demands from Jhota's family and political leaders for an independent investigation, with the case emerging as a major flashpoint between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the opposition. The Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, handed over the investigation to CBI minutes before Amit Shah's visit to Punjab as he decided to meet family members of Parvinder Singh Jhota.
Jhota, who had emerged as a vocal figure against drug abuse and drug trafficking in the Mansa region, was allegedly murdered in a case that sparked widespread outrage. His death intensified questions about the risks faced by people who confront the local drug trade and the effectiveness of the government's anti-drug campaign.
The case gained further political significance after Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Jhota's family during his visit to Punjab. The meeting brought the family's demand for justice into sharper focus and added to the pressure for an impartial probe.
The BJP has repeatedly attacked the AAP government over the drug problem in Punjab, accusing it of failing to dismantle the drug network despite its public campaign against narcotics. The party has also used Jhota's death to question the state government's claims about its crackdown on drug trafficking.
The AAP government, meanwhile, has maintained that it is committed to eliminating drugs from Punjab and taking strict action against those involved in the trade.