Chandigarh/Amritsar, March 22: Laljit Bhullar, a former Punjab cabinet minister, is among three individuals named in an FIR registered by Amritsar police in connection with the suicide of a state warehousing official. The investigation began after Gagandeep Randhawa, a district manager for the Punjab Warehousing Corporation, died Saturday morning, leaving behind a video statement detailing alleged professional coercion.
The police action also names the former minister’s father, Sukhdev Bhullar, and his personal assistant, Dilbagh Singh. Investigators are examining charges of abetment to suicide and criminal intimidation under the BNS framework. The case has quickly become a focal point for political debate in the region, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties.
According to the deceased’s wife, Upinder Kaur, the conflict centered on the distribution of warehouse tenders. She declared that her husband was subjected to persistent harassment for several months as the accused sought to influence the procurement process. Kaur maintained that the pressure included physical altercations and the brandishing of a weapon to secure compliance.
“They struck him with a pistol and forced him into a state of total despair,” Kaur affirmed during the filing of the complaint. She noted that the suspects allegedly compelled Randhawa to record a scripted video under duress, further damaging his mental well-being.
The administrative official reportedly consumed poison on Saturday after recording a final message for authorities. In the wake of the tragedy, senior leaders from the Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP, and Congress visited the Ranjit Avenue home of the Randhawa family.
Government officials stated that the law would take its course as the investigation proceeds. Meanwhile, opposition groups announced plans to organize a protest march toward the Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh to call for a transparent inquiry into the allegations.
