In a major political development in Punjab, former Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar has been arrested in connection with the alleged suicide of a senior warehousing official in Amritsar. The incident has triggered widespread outrage and brought renewed focus on allegations of political pressure within government departments.
Bhullar, a prominent leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, was taken into custody on Monday after he publicly stated that he would surrender. Police confirmed that he was arrested from Mandi Gobindgarh and is being brought to Amritsar, where he will be produced in court.
The case came to light after Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a district manager with the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, allegedly ended his life by consuming poison. Before his death, a video surfaced on social media in which he reportedly accused Bhullar of harassment. The video quickly gained attention and intensified pressure on the Punjab government to act swiftly.
As the controversy escalated, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directed Bhullar to step down from his ministerial position to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. Soon after, Bhullar resigned, maintaining that he is innocent and has been falsely implicated.
In a Facebook post shared before his arrest, Bhullar dismissed claims that he had fled and stated that he had full faith in the country’s legal system. He said he was in Punjab and was voluntarily surrendering, emphasizing that he would never run away from the truth.
The situation took a serious turn after Randhawa’s wife, Upinder Kaur, filed a complaint alleging that her husband had been under constant pressure to award a warehouse tender to Bhullar’s father. She claimed that he was repeatedly threatened and warned of serious consequences if he did not comply. According to her complaint, Randhawa was also allegedly humiliated and assaulted during a meeting at Bhullar’s residence and was forced to admit to taking money under duress.
Based on these allegations, the police registered a case against Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and his personal assistant Dilbag Singh under charges including abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation, and common intention under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials have indicated that further arrests may follow as the investigation progresses.
Following the death, Randhawa’s family initially refused to allow the post-mortem and cremation, demanding immediate action against the accused. Senior police officials visited the family to calm the situation and persuade them to cooperate. After Bhullar’s arrest, the family said they would decide their next course of action.
The case has sparked a political storm in Punjab, with opposition parties questioning the functioning of the state government and accusing it of failing to prevent misuse of power. Meanwhile, the government has assured that strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty.
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Bhullar has denied all allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. As the investigation moves forward, all eyes are now on the court proceedings and the evidence that will emerge in the coming days.