AMRITSAR: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced the party would hold an indefinite dharna till a case was not registered against former Transport minister Laljit Bhullar for being complicit in the murder of Warehousing Corporation district manager Dr Gagandeep Singh Randhawa. He also demanded a CBI probe into the entire incident.
The SAD president, who visited the residence of the officer who committed suicide after being humiliated and even beaten up at the residence of Laljit Bhullar, also talked to DGP Gaurav Yadav and demanded a murder case under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita be registered against Bhullar and the latter be arrested immediately. He later accompanied the family members and submitted their complaint at the Ranjit Avenue police station despite resistance from the police authorities.
Mr Badal said Dr Gagandeep Randhawa’s declaration before committing suicidal as well as the statement of the family should form the basis of the case which should be registered against the former minister. He said it was shocking that Dr Randhawa had been beaten up at the residence of Laljit Bhullar and a video of him was also made by pressurising him at gun point.
Mr Badal also talked extensively with the bereaved family including Dr Randhawa’s wife Upinder Kaur and assured that the SAD would ensure justice was served to them. “The SAD will hold a dharna till a FIR is not register against Laljit Bhullar”. He also disclosed that the party cadre would also launch a protest to demand justice in the case.
In another shocking revelation, Mr Badal revealed that the Warehousing officer was being pressurised by the Transport minister to award a tender to construct godowns to store 50, 000 metric tonnes of foodgrain and that a tender to store 20, 000 metric tonnes had already been awarded to the minister’s father - Sukhdev Singh Bhullar. “Dr Randhawa was being pressurised to award the remaining 30, 000 metric tonne storage contract”, he added.
Asserting that Punjab had not only lost an honest officer but a highly educated individual who held a doctorate degree, Mr Badal said “it is a heinous crime to torture such educated individuals to such an extent that they are forced to commit suicide”. He also demanded all those responsible in harassing Dr Randhawa should also be proceeded against as per law.
Food and civil supplies procurement agencies unions also met the SAD president and said they had lost an honest and dedicated officer and demanded that the family be given justice.