FIR against ex-minister, his father and PA over official’s suicide

Amritsar: Police registered an FIR against former Punjab minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, his father, and his personal assistant (PA) late Saturday night in connection with the suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, district manager of Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC) in Amritsar.Randhawa's suicide has triggered a political storm in the state as he purportedly left behind a video blaming Bhullar. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann asked Bhullar for his resignation, remarking that "no official should be pushed so much that he gives up his life." Bhullar has denied the allegations and called for a "proper investigation" for the truth to emerge.Randhawa's family has refused to cremate the body until Bhullar is arrested. They held a press conference here on Sunday, demanding the immediate arrest of Bhullar and others involved in the case.Opposition parties are trying to corner govt on this issue, calling Bhullar's resignation a "drama" and demanding a CBI probe.Acting on a complaint filed by Randhawa's wife, Upinder Kaur, Amritsar Police Commissionerate registered the FIR at 11:51pm on Saturday at Ranjit Avenue police station. The case has been filed against Laljit Singh Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and his PA Dilbagh Singh alias Baga under BNS sections 108 (abetment to suicide), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common intention).In her complaint, Upinder Kaur, a science teacher at Govt Senior Secondary School, Hair, alleged that Sukhdev Singh had applied for tenders for construction of godowns for Punjab State Warehousing Corporation and that Bhullar, who was then transport and jails minister, had been pressuring her husband to award the tenders to his father at any cost.Kaur, a mother of three, has alleged in her complaint that on March 13, the minister called her husband to his residence in Patti, where Sukhdev Singh, Dilbagh Singh alias Baga, and three other unidentified persons were present, and her husband was allegedly assaulted.Upinder Kaur said the family was so frightened by continuous threats that they sent their children to their maternal uncle's house, while she has been staying at her parents' home.BJP state president Sunil Jakhar, targeting the chief minister, said that the FIR was not registered out of concern for the people of the state but under pressure from opposition parties. He added that the delay in registering the FIR reflects govt's mala fide intentions and raises apprehensions of possible tampering with the case in the future.MSID:: 129729846 413 |