Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday asserted that the state police is fully capable of investigating the alleged suicide of an official in Amritsar and assured that the probe would be conducted in a fair as well as transparent manner.
His statement came amid mounting demands from opposition parties for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the death of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, who allegedly died by consuming poison early on Saturday. Randhawa had accused former Punjab minister Laljit Singh Bhullar of harassment.
“We will conduct an investigation and it will be carried out properly. The Punjab Police is capable of handling the case,” Mann said, expressing confidence in the state’s law enforcement agencies.
He further announced that a committee headed by the chief secretary would probe the matter, adding that no one would be spared. “If the involvement of any additional conspirator comes to light, they will also be arrested,” Mann said, noting that Bhullar has already resigned from the cabinet and has been taken into custody.
Also read: Ex-Punjab minister Bhullar held in suicide case
Emphasising accountability, Mann said, “We do not shield anyone. For me, Punjab is one family.” He had also stated a day earlier that strict action would be taken against anyone found violating the law, regardless of their position.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police has registered a case against Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and personal assistant Dilbag Singh under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Post-mortem conducted in Amritsar
In a related development, the post-mortem examination of Randhawa has been conducted by a board of medical experts at a government medical college in Amritsar. The procedure took place in the presence of a tehsildar, while the victim’s family ensured that the entire process was videographed.
Cabinet reshuffled after Bhullar’s arrest
In a significant Cabinet reshuffle, the Government of Punjab on Tuesday reassigned key ministerial portfolios following the resignation of Laljit Singh Bhullar, who stepped down after being accused of abetting the suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa.
According to official orders, the Transport Department has now been allocated to Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while the Jails Department has been handed over to Dr Ravjot Singh. Bhullar had been in charge of both the Transport and Jails departments prior to his resignation.
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