Chandigarh/Amritsar, March 22: Amritsar police have registered a criminal case against former Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Bhullar, his father, and a personal assistant following the death of a Punjab Warehousing Corporation official. District Manager Gagandeep Randhawa reportedly took his own life on Saturday morning, leading to allegations of systemic harassment and intimidation involving the allotment of government warehouse tenders.
Authorities filed the First Information Report under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing sections related to abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation, and common intention. The move comes as opposition leaders across the political spectrum gathered at the Randhawa residence in Ranjit Avenue to support the grieving family.
Upinder Kaur, the wife of the deceased official, stated in her formal complaint that her husband faced months of intense pressure. She affirmed that the accused individuals repeatedly coerced Randhawa to provide favorable treatment during the tender process. When he resisted these demands, the situation escalated into physical and verbal abuse.
The complaint maintained that the former minister and his associates assaulted Randhawa and used a firearm to threaten him. Kaur asserted that her husband was forced at gunpoint to record a false video statement before his death.
“The humiliation and continuous threats to our family were more than he could bear,” Kaur stated in her deposition to the police.
Before consuming poison on Saturday, Randhawa recorded a brief video message that has since circulated on social media platforms. The incident has caused a significant political stir, with figures such as Sukhbir Singh Badal, Sunil Jakhar, and Partap Singh Bajwa visiting the family to demand accountability.
Representatives from various political parties declared their intention to hold a demonstration at the residence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh on Sunday to seek further action on the matter.
