Chandigarh, March 22
After AAP Jail minister Laljit Singh Bhullar allegedly tortured Punjab Warehousing Corporation District Manager Dr Gagandeep Randhawa over a tender and pushed him to suicide, leaders of all opposition parties including Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and Congress held a protest and gherao of the Chief Minister’s office in Chandigarh demanding the minister’s arrest.
During this protest, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, and from Congress Partap Singh Bajwa were prominently present.
Speaking to the media during the protest, Bikram Singh Majithia said that an AAP minister’s hooliganism, corruption and gangster threats pushed a capable officer to death, and even in such a serious matter, all opposition parties had to unite and raise their voice for justice. Despite that, the FIR which was supposed to be registered on the morning of March 21 was instead registered at 1 am on March 22, showing the government’s lack of seriousness.
Majithia said that when opposition parties were sitting at the police station to get the case registered against the corrupt minister, the government and the minister used their power to get the police station electricity cut, while on social media it was being claimed that he had not been removed but had resigned himself.
Majithia said that even after such a shameful act, Laljit Bhullar has no morality. AKali Leader Majithia added that although the FIR was registered at night after protests and pressure, the government has still not allowed the minister to be arrested. Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Gurpreet Bhullar is allegedly pressuring the family to reach a compromise and perform the last rites.
Explaining further, Majithia said it is extremely shameful that under acting DGP Gaurav Yadav, instead of delivering justice, the police is threatening the family for a compromise. He added that instead of arresting the minister, the police is harassing the grieving family even though the video of the deceased’s statement before suicide clearly shows everything.
Majithia said if the Chief Minister is not protecting this corrupt and criminal minister, then Laljit Bhullar, Sukhdev Singh Bhullar and his PA should be arrested immediately and the probe handed over to the CBI. He said all opposition parties have united with the family for justice, but the arrogance of the government still remains.
Referring to the Vijay Singla corruption case, he said the Chief Minister himself was a witness but a clean chit was given, and questioned whether a similar operation is being run to save the minister in this direct murder case.
Majithia alleged that the officer was stripped, beaten, humiliated and assaulted with a pistol butt, and was threatened regarding his wife and daughters, with claims that their movements were being tracked and they could be shot through gangsters. He said the officer was so terrified that while battling for life, he held the doctor’s hand and said his life should not be saved as his family was in danger. He added that the mask of honesty of the government and its ministers has now completely fallen, exposing their true face.
The deceased’s brother Varinder Pal Singh, who was present during the protest, said that although an FIR has been registered, if the Chief Minister is truly honest, he should ensure immediate arrest of the minister and other accused so that the family can perform the last rites. He said the family has decided that until the minister responsible for forcing his brother to death is arrested, they will not conduct the cremation. He added that they will not bow down under pressure and will continue their fight for justice till the end.
