Chandigarh: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday assured in Lok Sabha that he would take up the demand for a CBI probe into the suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, District Manager of the Punjab Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, once a formal written representation is submitted by Punjab MPs.
The issue was raised during Zero Hour by Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aulja, who referred to a video message purportedly recorded by Randhawa before his death, in which he blamed former Punjab minister Laljit Singh Bhullar for the extreme step.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu also intervened, alleging a breakdown of law and order in Punjab. He cited video evidence in which Randhawa was allegedly threatened by Bhullar to award a warehousing contract to his father, warning of serious consequences if he failed to comply. Bittu further claimed that threats extended to Randhawa’s family, including an alleged warning regarding his daughter, and demanded immediate action to prevent any possibility of the accused evading the law.
Meanwhile, Laljit Singh Bhullar has been arrested in connection with the case following mounting pressure from opposition parties and the victim’s family. Opposition leaders questioned the delay, alleging that the action came only after sustained public and political pressure.
Opposition parties, including Congress and BJP, also questioned the AAP government led by Bhagwant Mann for initially limiting its response to seeking Bhullar’s resignation, while delaying decisive action.
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia has also been actively raising the issue, demanding a CBI probe and alleging that the state government’s action so far is an “eyewash” aimed at shielding those in power rather than ensuring justice.
Adding to the pressure, SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has written to the Union Home Minister seeking an immediate CBI inquiry. In her letter, she highlighted that Randhawa, a highly qualified officer holding BSc, MSc in Agriculture Science, PhD, and MBA degrees and handling charge of two districts, was allegedly subjected to sustained harassment, intimidation, and coercion.
She also flagged serious allegations mentioned in the FIR, including pressure to award a tender in favour of Bhullar’s father, threats through criminal elements, and physical assault. The letter further raised concerns over delay in FIR registration, absence of immediate arrests, and claims that the state government attempted to “hoodwink” the grieving family by projecting Bhullar’s resignation without completing due constitutional process, as no communication had reportedly reached the Governor.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal stressed that Randhawa had reportedly brought the mental trauma and pressure to the notice of senior authorities, including the Deputy Commissioner and the Warehousing Corporation’s Managing Director, but no action was taken due to the involvement of a powerful minister.
She urged the Centre to hand over the investigation to the CBI, stating that only an independent probe could ensure justice and restore public confidence.
Randhawa allegedly ended his life on Saturday, with a video surfacing in which he purportedly detailed the circumstances and pressures leading to his death. The incident has triggered a political storm, with growing demands for accountability and an impartial probe.
