Punjab Transport Minister Resigns Amid Gagandeep Singh Randhawa's Suicide Case

Resignation Following Tragic Incident

On Saturday, Laljit Singh Bhullar, the Transport Minister of Punjab, submitted his resignation from the cabinet following the emergence of his name in the suicide case of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar. Sources indicate that Bhullar, who represents Patti in Tarn Taran, was instructed to resign by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Mann accepted Bhullar's resignation and directed Chief Secretary KAP Sinha to investigate the allegations.

Commitment to Fair Investigation

Mann stated that the resignation was aimed at ensuring an impartial investigation and reiterated the government's zero tolerance towards negligence or harassment. He instructed the Chief Secretary to conduct a high-level inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Randhawa's death and assured that strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty. This development follows the tragic incident where Gagandeep Singh Randhawa reportedly committed suicide by ingesting a toxic substance.

Allegations and Controversy

A video circulating on social media features Randhawa claiming he had consumed poison and mentioning Bhullar's name. Opposition leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that Randhawa took his own life by ingesting a poison called 'Selfos' and claimed that he was allegedly coerced into accepting a bribe of 1 million rupees.

A senior leader from the Shiromani Akali Dal posted on X, alleging that Randhawa was pressured to award a tender to Bhullar's assistant instead of a legitimate bidder. Majithia further claimed that Randhawa was summoned to the minister's residence, assaulted, and that there was an attempt to record a video of the incident. Bhullar has categorically denied these allegations, labeling them as baseless and false.

Call for Thorough Investigation

The MLA from Tarn Taran's Patti constituency expressed on Facebook that his party always stands for the truth and supports it. He requested a thorough investigation into the allegations against him and stated that until the inquiry is completed, he would seek approval from the party and the Chief Minister to resign from his ministerial position.