Punjab minister resigns, arrested over official's suicide amid harassment claims

The alleged suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a District Manager with the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, has sent shockwaves through Punjab, leading to the resignation and subsequent arrest of former cabinet minister Laljit Singh Bhullar. Randhawa, in a purported video recorded before his death, claimed he consumed poison out of fear of Bhullar, citing harassment and pressure related to a warehouse tender. He alleged that Bhullar, his father, and his personal assistant had threatened him and forced him to make a false statement regarding the tender. Following the surfacing of the video, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asked Laljit Singh Bhullar to step down from his cabinet positions as Transport and Jails Minister. Bhullar resigned on March 21, 2026, stating that his resignation was to ensure a fair investigation. However, the opposition parties, including the Congress, BJP, and SAD, intensified their pressure on the government, demanding Bhullar's immediate arrest and a CBI inquiry into the matter. They alleged that the government was forced to act due to public pressure. On March 23, 2026, the Amritsar police booked Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and his personal assistant Dilbag Singh under sections related to abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation, and common intention. Randhawa's wife, Upinder Kaur, filed a complaint alleging that her husband was pressured to allot a tender to Bhullar's father and was humiliated and assaulted at Bhullar's residence, even being forced to record a false confession at gunpoint. Bhullar has denied all allegations, calling them baseless. Despite the FIR, there were initial delays in the arrest of Bhullar's father and aide, with reports indicating they were still absconding a few days after the FIR was registered. Laljit Singh Bhullar was arrested on March 23, 2026, from Mandi Gobindgarh and was subsequently sent to a five-day police remand. He has maintained his innocence and expressed faith in the judicial system. The incident has ignited significant political controversy, with opposition parties accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of attempting to shield its minister. The AAP government, on the other hand, has highlighted its swift action in seeking the minister's resignation and initiating a probe as a sign of zero tolerance for negligence and a commitment to justice. The family of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa has been vocal in their demand for a CBI probe, expressing a lack of faith in the local administration's ability to conduct an impartial investigation. They initially refused to allow the post-mortem and cremation until Bhullar's arrest, and later demanded that the post-mortem be conducted by a panel of doctors under judicial supervision. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has stated that the Punjab Police are capable of conducting a proper investigation and has ordered a high-level probe, emphasizing that no negligence would be tolerated. The Punjab Health Minister also assured a fair probe and suggested that CBI probes sometimes end in stalemates, implying the state police could conduct a more effective investigation. The Union Home Minister had previously stated willingness to order a CBI probe if all Punjab MPs submitted a written request. The case has drawn national attention, with the political fallout continuing to unfold. The investigation into the alleged abetment of suicide is ongoing, with the police seeking further evidence, including Randhawa's mobile phone. The broader implications for governance and accountability in Punjab remain a significant point of discussion.

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