A public interest litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeks a CBI probe into the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was shot in Mansa while streaming live on Facebook, and independent inquiries into the accused chemist’s drug and arms licences and the police response.
Chandigarh: A PIL filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by a social worker from Rania in Haryana’s Sirsa district seeks transfer to the Central Bureau of Investigation of the probe into the October 13, 2026 killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, alias Parminder Singh, alias Jhota, in Mansa, Punjab. The allegations in the petition are the petitioner’s, they are untested, the High Court has expressed no view on them, and the accused is presumed innocent.
The bench, case number and next date of hearing have not been made available.
How the case reached here
The deceased, about 45 and a former freestyle kabaddi player, ran an “Anti-Drug Task Force” and posted live videos on Facebook exposing illegal sales of intoxicants at medical stores, with a following of about 63,000 on his page. In July 2023, he alleged that banned intoxicating capsules were being sold by Ashwani Kumar (also spelled Ashwini Kumar), who owns a medical store on Bathinda Road in Mansa. A case was registered on his complaint, a cross-case was registered against him, and he was taken into custody and released in September 2023.
According to the petition, on October 13, 2026 he saw a person leaving the store after buying intoxicating capsules, began recording, questioned the accused and called the police, who did not arrive. It alleges that while he was questioning the accused, the accused opened fire, in a Facebook Live broadcast that he had started. It further alleges that police took about 20 to 25 minutes to reach the spot and that he was not immediately taken to hospital, and that he was declared brought dead at the Civil Hospital, Mansa.
An FIR was registered on October 14, 2026 at Police Station City-2, Mansa, invoking Sections 103(1), 109, 118(1), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act. The killing has drawn political reactions in Punjab, and the opposition has criticised the State’s law and order and anti-drug campaign, while the State government’s response is not part of the petition.
What the petition seeks
The petition asks for transfer of the investigation to the CBI, independent inquiries into how the accused chemist’s drug licence and arms licence were granted, renewed and continued, an inquiry into the police’s alleged failure to respond to the deceased’s call, and an inquiry into the delay in shifting him to hospital. It contends that the killing and the resulting unrest affect rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(d) and 21 of the Constitution.
Why the petition matters
The petition asks the High Court to look beyond the criminal trial of the individual accused to two systemic questions: how a chemist previously the subject of the deceased’s drug-sale complaint continued to hold drug and arms licences, and whether the police response to a call made during the incident was adequate. Whether the Court takes those up will depend on the State’s response, which has yet to be recorded.
Case Title: PIL seeking CBI probe into the killing of Parvinder Singh alias Jhota (title and case number not available), Punjab and Haryana High Court
Bench: Not available
Date of Filing: Reported October 15, 2026