The North News
Chandigarh, March 23
Former Punjab Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar has been arrested by Punjab Police in connection with the alleged suicide of a senior state warehousing official, in a case that has triggered a major political row in the state, according to sources. Bhullar was held on Monday in connection with the death of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a district manager with the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, police said. Randhawa allegedly died after consuming poison early on last Saturday.
The arrest came after Bhullar resigned as minister amid allegations that he had harassed the official. Punjab Police said the action was taken following directions from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The case has intensified political tensions in Punjab, with opposition parties demanding a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding Randhawa’s death.
A video, purportedly recorded before Randhawa’s death, has also circulated on social media. In it, he appears to say he had consumed a poisonous substance and accuses Bhullar of harassment. The authenticity of the video has not been independently verified.
The issue was also raised in the Lok Sabha on Monday, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he would immediately order a CBI investigation if all MPs from Punjab jointly submit a written request.
The assurance came after Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla raised the case in Parliament, alleging that Bhullar had put pressure on the officer, leading to his death.
Shah, who was present in the House, responded that if all Punjab MPs submitted a written representation together, he would order a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry “immediately”.
Aujla said the case had raised serious concerns about the working environment for officials in Punjab, adding that it had become increasingly difficult for “honest officers” to function in the state.
The death of Randhawa and the arrest of Bhullar have placed the Punjab government under pressure, with the case now emerging as a significant political flashpoint.
