Punjab minister resigns amid officer's suicide, harassment claims

The political landscape of Punjab was significantly shaken by the alleged suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a District Manager with the Punjab Warehousing Corporation (PWC) in Amritsar. Randhawa, prior to his death, recorded a video message in which he implicated Punjab's Transport Minister, Laljit Singh Bhullar, alleging severe harassment and intimidation. These allegations, which quickly went viral, prompted immediate political pressure and a swift response from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. According to the FIR filed by Randhawa's wife, Upinder Kaur, the deceased official was subjected to intense pressure by Minister Bhullar to withdraw a tender and reallocate it to Bhullar's father, Sukhdev Singh Bhullar. Kaur's complaint details escalating threats, including alleged physical assault and being held at gunpoint at the minister's residence in Patti. She claims Randhawa was forced to falsely admit to accepting a bribe of ₹10 lakh in connection with the tender process. These alleged incidents reportedly pushed Randhawa to take his own life. In the wake of these serious allegations, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accepted Minister Bhullar's resignation to ensure a fair and impartial investigation into the matter. The Chief Secretary, K.A.P. Sinha, was directed to conduct a thorough probe. An FIR has since been registered against Laljit Singh Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and his personal assistant Dilbagh Singh under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including abetment of suicide and criminal intimidation. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the BJP, Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal. They have staged protests, demanding the immediate arrest of the former minister and a CBI inquiry into the case, arguing that a probe by the Chief Secretary might not be impartial given the political implications. Leaders like Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa have termed the incident a "broad daylight murder of a government officer" and questioned the state government's law and order situation. They contend that the case should be treated as murder or abetment to murder, not a routine suicide. Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar has, through a Facebook post, denied all allegations, stating they are "baseless and false." He expressed his support for a thorough investigation and mentioned that his resignation was to facilitate an unbiased probe. Despite his denial, the controversy has cast a shadow over his political career, which has seen previous minor controversies, including an old video surfacing from the Red Fort protests and a traffic violation incident. The suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa has highlighted the pressure faced by government officials and has become a significant political issue in Punjab, with opposition parties leveraging it to criticize the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government's governance and alleged corruption. The warehousing corporation union has also staged protests, demanding justice for Randhawa's family and the immediate arrest of the accused. The investigation is ongoing, with the focus on establishing the veracity of the claims made by Randhawa and his wife, and determining the extent of Minister Bhullar's alleged involvement. The political fallout continues, with opposition parties vowing to intensify their agitation until justice is served and arrests are made.

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