Amritsar: Former Punjab Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and his father were among three detained on charges of abetment to suicide following the death of a State Warehousing Corporation official in Amritsar, police said on Sunday.
This development comes a day after Bhullar resigned from his post as Minister of Transport and Prisons in the Aam Aadmi Party government. He resigned after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asked for his resignation, with Bhullar saying he took the decision to facilitate a fair investigation into the case.
On Friday, the district director of Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC) died by suicide after consuming a toxic substance at his residence in Amritsar. Before his death, a video of the official appeared on social media, in which he claimed that he took the step out of fear of Bhullar.
Based on a complaint filed by the wife of the deceased, a case was registered on Saturday at Ranjit Avenue police station against the former minister, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar and his personal assistant PA Dilbagh Singh. Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Amritsar Police Commissioner, said that the three accused have been booked under Sections 109 (abetment to suicide), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation by causing death or grievous hurt) and 3 (5) (common intention) of the BNS.
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The deceased’s wife said in her complaint that Bhullar had applied for tenders floated by the water and sanitation company PSWC to build new farms under his father’s name. The wife said in the complaint, which HT reviewed: “He was constantly pressuring my husband in favor of his father in the tender process. My husband told me about this several times.” “Bhullar, his father and PA Dilbagh Singh alias Bagga were issuing threats to my husband that if the tenders were not allotted to them, my children would have to pay the price.”
After tenders were not allocated to Bhullar’s father, the former minister started “harassing and humiliating” the official, the complaint said. “My husband said Bhullar said he would either kill him or himself by taking poison,” she said.
On March 13, the AAP leader summoned the official to his residence, the wife said. The complainant said: “When my husband entered the house, they started beating him.” He added: “They forced him at gunpoint to read a text they provided, recording a false statement that he had allocated the tenders to another party for them.” $10 thousand.”
On Sunday, the opposition attempted to ‘ghero’ Mann’s residence in Chandigarh during a joint protest. A day earlier, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Congress and the BJP had announced that they would take part in the ‘Gherao’ of CM Mann’s residence to press their demand for Bhullar’s arrest.
Read also | Threatened, held at gunpoint: Shocking allegations emerge against Punjab minister in PWC officer suicide case
Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Waring, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, along with SAD leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema, were among those who participated in the protest.
A large police contingent was deployed at MLAs hostel in Chandigarh to prevent protesters from heading towards the Prime Minister’s residence. Chandigarh Police also set up barricades.
While the demonstrators tried to climb the barricades, the police used water cannons to disperse them. “We want Bhullar arrested immediately and a free and fair investigation is conducted,” SAD’s Majithia said.
“We are united in this struggle for justice and accountability. Congress will continue this struggle with unwavering determination until justice is served to the family,” Bajwa said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister stressed that his government has zero tolerance for corruption, also noting that the law is taking its course.
