CHANDIGARH: Neelam Rani wife of Ashwani Kumar main accused in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Bhola was today booked by Punjab police. The licence of the chemist shop where murder is committed is issued in the name of Neelam Rani, police said.
Ashwani Kumar had five FIRs against him in the drug cases and he was on bail in all the cases. Ashwani Kumar was arrested for selling prohibited drugs on the medical store. Surprisingly, police had not acted against Neelam Kumari in the past despite the fact that she is actual owner of the shop. Ashwani Kumar was not qualified to hold the licence. The questions are also being raised on the drug inspector Shishan Mittal.who failed to check the licence of the shop. Mittal was suspended in 2024 in a drug case and how he was reinstatement is still a mystery.
Sunil Jakhar former state BJP president has raised the issue of involvement of drug inspector with drug mafia. Jakhar claimed that Anti-Narcotics Task Force had arrested Mittal in September 2024 on allegations of colluding with drug traffickers lodged in prisons and laundering drug money. According to Jakhar, the investigation led to the freezing of ₹7.09 crore in 24 bank accounts, while ₹1.149 crore in cash, approximately 260 grams of gold and foreign currency were reportedly recovered from two lockers. He also referred to real estate holdings in Zirakpur and Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, Mansa Police have suspended City-2 Station House Officer Beant Kaur with immediate effect amid mounting demands for accountability following the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Choudhary issued the suspension order on Thursday. Jhota’s family had demanded action against police officials, including Kaur, over the circumstances surrounding the killing. The detailed grounds recorded in the suspension order were not available in the reports reviewed.
District police have also recommended departmental action against DSP Harjinder Singh Gill, referring the matter to the Director General of Police’s office. According to the SSP, any action against the DSP will be decided at police headquarters. No suspension order against Gill could be confirmed.
Jhota, who was shot dead on October 13 during a confrontation with medical store owner Ashwani Kumar over the alleged sale of intoxicating medicines. Kumar who was arrested from Salasar in Rajasthan was sent on seven day police remand by a local court.
Kumar was apprehended in Salasar, Rajasthan. Police have also booked his wife, Neelam Rani. The SSP said preliminary inquiries found that the medical store’s pharmacy licence was in her name and assured a transparent investigation.
The murder case was registered at City-2 police station on the complaint of Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, under provisions relating to murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and other offences, along with the Arms Act.