CHANDIGARH: The family of deceased government official Gagandeep Randhawa have refused to allow the conduct of post-mortem and cremation till former Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Bhullar, his father and personal assistant are arrested for abetment of suicide.
Opposition parties Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) held a protest demanding arrest of the former minister and a CBI probe.
Talking to the media, Upinder Kaur and her three children said that they will not consent to the post-mortem of her husband Gagandeep until Bhullar and other suspects are arrested.
"We want justice first and the post-mortem will only be conducted and the body will be cremated after the arrest of the accused minister," she stated.
She said that if at all the state government was serious, it would not have delayed the registration of the case. She alleged that her husband was under immense pressure, assaulted and humiliated, which drove him to take his own life.
"Bhullar tortured my husband a lot. My husband was made so helpless that he took his own life. He was told that his family, his children, would be finished off. After he came back on March 13, he had told me everything and had even made a complaint to his department. They only kept giving him assurances, but nothing happened," she alleged.
She claimed that this was all done because a tender was not passed. "It was implied that my husband was not passing it deliberately," she said.
Expressing concerns about their safety, Kaur demanded immediate police protection. "If anything happens to me or my family, the AAP government will be responsible. I have three young children and a mother-in-law. I fear for my life; security should be provided to my children and me," she said.
The case has triggered controversy in Punjab, with opposition parties demanding strict action and a transparent probe by an independent agency into the circumstances leading to Randhawa’s death.
Several opposition leaders and workers of Congress, BJP, SAD, and CPI who tried to march towards CM Mann’s official residence in a joint protest were detained by the Chandigarh Police.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, along with SAD leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema, were among those who took part in the protest.
Partap Singh Bajwa reiterated that this is not merely a fight for one family, but a larger battle for justice, accountability, and the protection of honest officers in Punjab. He stated that serious allegations have emerged indicating that Randhawa was subjected to illegal confinement and extortion.
"The facts clearly establish cognizable offences, and the law must take its due course without delay or dilution," he asserted.
He demanded that provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act be invoked against Bhullar for allegedly misusing his official position to coerce a public servant into committing illegal acts.
Raising serious concerns over the investigation, Bajwa questioned why the police have not yet seized the mobile phones of Bhullar and his alleged accomplices. He also demanded that mobile tower dump data be collected to identify all individuals present at the location where the officer was allegedly assaulted.
Further, he stressed that CCTV footage from Bhullar’s premises must be secured immediately to preserve crucial evidence.
Punjab BJP chief Jakhar said they were seeking justice for Randhawa's family. "Until Bhullar is arrested, the protest will continue," he said and view were echoed by Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
The deceased, Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, died by suicide on Saturday. Based on a complaint filed by his wife, Upinder Kaur, an FIR was lodged at Ranjit Avenue Police Station the same night.
Along with Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar and personal assistant Dilbag Singh have also been named in the case. The charges include abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation, and common intention under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.