Chandigarh: The Punjab Pharmacy Council has cancelled the pharmacist registration of Ashwani Kumar, the main accused in the death case of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhotta in Mansa.
Council chairman Sunil Bansal confirmed the action, saying the pharmacist’s registration, issued on July 10, 2020, had been cancelled in connection with the case.
Jhotta’s death had triggered protests and raised questions over the alleged illegal sale of drugs and the role of government agencies responsible for enforcing regulations.
According to earlier reports, raids had been conducted at Ashwani Kumar’s premises around 10 times over the past four years, while his drug licence had been suspended on three occasions.
Punjab government data showed that between April 2025 and September 2026, licences of 520 medicine sellers were suspended and those of 22 others were cancelled for regulatory violations across the state.
The investigation into Jhotta’s death is ongoing.
