Amit Shah Promises Immediate CBI Probe Into Punjab Official's 'Suicide' If MPs Give Written Request

Chandigarh: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday promised in the Lok Sabha that he can order an immediate CBI enquiry into the alleged suicide of a state warehousing corporation official in Punjab if all MPs from the state give him a written request on the matter.

He was replying to Congress MP Gurjit Aujla's remarks that no arrest has been made yet. "Manager Gagandeep Singh Randhawa has died by suicide, but no one has been arrested yet. I appeal in the House that justice be given to the family," he said, adding that it has become difficult for honest officers to work in Punjab.

Randhawa, district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, allegedly ended his life by consuming poison early Saturday. A video appeared in which he purportedly claimed harassment by State minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, who resigned as minister later in the day at the direction of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann amid the row.

Union minister of state Ravneet Singh Bittu said, "Today, I am acting as a resident of Punjab and not talking about politics. Gagandeep Singh Randhawa was called by former minister Laljit Bhullar to his house on March 13 and threatened that if he gave the tender to my father, Sukhdev Singh, he would kill my daughter."

"He complained to his department about it, but no action was taken. Three days have passed, but no arrest has been made yet. The children of the deceased are appealing for justice. This is very unfortunate. I thank Amit Shah ji, who assured a CBI investigation if sought. Goonda rule is going on in Punjab. The family should get justice," Bittu added.

Meanwhile, the family of Randhawa had issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Punjab government to arrest Bhullar. They have already said that they would not allow a post-mortem examination and cremation until his arrest. Speaking to the media, the family expressed displeasure over Bhullar not being arrested yet and demanded that he be arrested at the earliest.

"It is my ultimatum that if nothing is done within 24 hours, then I, along with my children (two daughters and a son), will come on the roads," Randhawa's wife, Upinder Kaur, who is a science teacher, said.

The police on Saturday night booked Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar and personal assistant Dilbag Singh under sections 108 (abetment of suicide), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) and 3 (5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Former Minister Bhullar Arrested

Bhullar was arrested on Monday from Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib district and is being brought from Mandi Gobindgarh to Amritsar, police said, adding that he will be produced in a court on Tuesday.

Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the district manager of Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, allegedly ended his life by consuming poison early Saturday.

The former minister, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and personal assistant Dilbag Singh were booked by the Amritsar police under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) and 3 (5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Meanwhile, Mann asserted that strict action will be taken irrespective of any position he holds if anyone violates the law.

"For me, the entire Punjab is one family. If anyone in Punjab violates the law, strict action will be taken against him, no matter what position he holds or whether he is a relative or an influential person. Protecting anyone is not our party's agenda," said Mann in a post on X.

Bhullar, however, said he was surrendering in Mandi Gobindgarh and also dismissed rumours that he had run away.

"Rumours were being spread that I had run away; there is no truth to it. I will never run from the truth. I have full faith in the law of the country and also have unshakable faith in the justice system. I have not run away anywhere, I am in my Punjab. Believing in truth and justice, I am surrendering myself at Mandi Gobindgarh," Bhullar said in a Facebook post.

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