CHANDIGARH: The suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a district manager with the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, has triggered a major political storm, placing the Punjab government in the dock over allegations of pressure, political interference and administrative failure.
Randhawa died by suicide on March 21 in Amritsar after allegedly consuming poison. Before his death, he recorded a video accusing minister Laljit Singh Bhullar of harassment in a warehousing tender dispute. The fallout was immediate, with Bhullar forced to resign and later arrested following an FIR based on a complaint by Randhawa’s wife.
The incident has since spiralled into a full-scale political confrontation, with Opposition leaders alleging that the case reflects a deeper malaise within Punjab’s governance structure. The demand for a CBI probe has become the central political flashpoint, especially after the Chief Minister declined the Centre’s offer, asserting that Punjab police was “capable enough” to conduct the investigation.
Senior BJP leader Sunil Jakhar has taken a sharp stand, demanding security for Randhawa’s family and alleging that an atmosphere of intimidation persists. He accused supporters of the accused minister of creating pressure and questioned the government’s failure to ensure the family’s safety. Jakhar has also warned that failure to deliver justice would discourage honest officers from functioning independently.
SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia has gone a step further, directly linking the incident to what he described as systemic corruption and political patronage. He has demanded that the probe be handed over to the CBI. Majithia has also called for a broader probe, arguing that the case is “not an isolated incident” but part of a larger pattern.
Even as the political heat over the Randhawa case continues, another development has deepened the governance debate. A distress letter by a PCS officer has surfaced, in which he alleged harassment, mental pressure and administrative coercion in connection with official duties. The letter has been cited by Opposition leaders as further evidence of a system under strain, where officers are facing mounting pressure.
