New Delhi, March 23: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that the central government is prepared to hand over the investigation into the death of Amritsar warehouse officer Gagandeep Singh Randhawa to the CBI. The assurance came during a Lok Sabha session on Monday after Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla raised the matter, highlighting the ongoing tension in Punjab regarding the case.
The Home Minister maintained that since the incident falls under the jurisdiction of the Punjab government, a formal written request from the state’s Members of Parliament would be required to initiate the federal probe. Shah affirmed that if the MPs from Punjab collectively submit this demand, the Ministry of Home Affairs will facilitate the transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
In Amritsar, the family of the deceased remains steadfast in their refusal to allow a post-mortem examination, which has now been delayed for three days. Upinder Kaur, the widow of the officer, asserted that the family would not proceed with the final rites until former minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and the other named individuals are taken into custody. She stated that the family has no other option but to take to the streets in protest if the stipulated timeline for arrests is not met.
The case took a significant turn as CCTV footage purportedly showing the final moments of the officer surfaced. The video shows Randhawa in the veranda of his residence during the early hours of the morning, appearing to be in distress before consuming a substance. Local authorities affirmed that the footage is being analyzed as part of the evidence in the abetment to suicide case.
