Sangrur Dalit man’s son seeks CBI probe into father’s alleged suicide

The petition alleges the man faced threats and humiliation after questioning Punjab minister Harpal Singh Cheema about drug availability in his village.

The son of a deceased Dalit man from Sangrur moved the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into his father’s alleged suicide in a Sangrur village on September 8. The Dalit man reportedly raised questions about the availability of drugs in his village during a public interaction with finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema. He later died after allegedly consuming poison, with his family claiming he faced pressure following the incident.

The petition by his son was taken up by a high court bench and upon requests from his counsels was ordered to be listed with the PIL filed by a Mohali man on September 16. (Representational Photo/ ANI Video Grab)

The petition by his son was taken up by a high court bench and upon requests from his counsels was ordered to be listed with the PIL filed by a Mohali man on September 16. The PIL is to be taken up on September 29.

His petition said the police can’t conduct an independent probe as a minister is also facing the allegations.

The petition also seeks to make the minister as party in the case and further demands preservation of call records of the minister, the senior superintendent of police and the station house officer.

Allegations are that the Dalit man had confronted Cheema during his September 6 visit to Toor Banjara village in Sangrur over availability of drugs in the area citing an example of his son’s addiction. The same evening, some persons affiliated to the ruling party came and insulted and threatened him and he was told to apologise for his conduct. He could not take “the harassment and humiliation” and “ended life by consuming poisonous substance” after recording a video in which he named the cabinet minister and some other persons for his extreme step, the petition has alleged.