Ex-AAP minister Laljit Bhullar arrested from Mandi Gobindgarh in Punjab official’s suicide case

Arrest follows 24-hour ultimatum by warehouse official’s family and Union home minister Amit Shah ’s offer for a CBI probe.

Former Punjab transport minister and Patti AAP MLA Laljit Singh Bhullar was arrested from Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib district on Monday afternoon. A senior police officer confirmed the arrest to HT, noting it is in connection with the suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the Amritsar district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation.

Former Punjab minister and Patti AAP MLA Laljit Singh Bhullar sits hands folded after he was arrested from Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib district on Monday. Prior to his arrest, Bhullar released a statement rejecting rumours that he was fleeing the police and claimed he had surrendered.

Prior to his arrest, Bhullar released a statement rejecting rumours that he was fleeing the police. He said: “Every decision in my life has been guided by public welfare and the path of truth”, and that claims of him absconding were entirely false. Asserting that he has never run away from the truth, Bhullar said he has complete faith in the law of the country and unwavering trust in the justice system. “I have not run anywhere; I am here in my Punjab. With faith in truth and justice, I am voluntarily surrendering myself in Mandi Gobindgarh,” Bhullar said.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann also weighed in on the situation via social media, tweeting, “For me, the entire Punjab is one family. If anyone in Punjab violates the law, strict action will be taken against them, no matter what position they hold or whether they are my relative or someone influential. Protecting anyone is not our party’s agenda. There is strict prohibition on cash and favours. ”

Randhawa had allegedly consumed poison on Saturday after accusing Bhullar and his associates of relentless harassment over a warehouse tender. Before his death, Randhawa reportedly filmed a video in Punjabi, stating, “Your friend has eaten Celphos because of fear of minister Laljit Bhullar. I will not survive now.” Subsequent CCTV footage also purportedly captured him consuming the substance.

Bhullar resigned from the Bhagwant Mann-led cabinet on Saturday to ensure an impartial probe, though he has dismissed the allegations as baseless.

The Punjab Police registered an FIR against Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and personal assistant Dilbag Singh under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for abetment of suicide and criminal intimidation.

According to the complaint filed by Randhawa’s wife, Upinder Kaur, the officer was being blackmailed and threatened to skew a warehouse tender in favour of the former minister’s father. She also alleged that on March 13, Randhawa was summoned to Bhullar’s Patti residence, assaulted, and forced at gunpoint to sign a false confession claiming he took a ₹10 lakh bribe to favour another party.

Refusing to allow a post-mortem or cremation, Upinder Kaur on Monday issued a 24-hour deadline for the arrests, stating she would take to the streets with her children if action was not taken.

MPs write to Amit Shah seeking CBI probe

The tragedy resonated in the Lok Sabha on Monday when Amritsar Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla raised the issue, cornering the AAP government in Punjab.

Intercepting Union home minister Amit Shah as he was leaving the House, Aujla pressed for action. Shah responded that he was ready to immediately order a CBI inquiry into the official’s death, provided all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members from Punjab submit a joint, written request to his office.

Following this assurance, four Congress MPs from Punjab—former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, and Dr Dharamvira Gandhi—met Shah and submitted a formal letter demanding the CBI probe.

During the meeting, the delegation urged the Union government to order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged suicide. They emphasised that the case has raised several unanswered questions and caused widespread public concern. The MPs highlighted that only a CBI probe would ensure a fair investigation free from any local influence or pressure. They also conveyed the sentiments of the victim’s family and the public, requesting immediate action in the interest of justice. Shah assured the delegation that their concerns would be duly examined.