Mann rebuffs CBI probe offer in DM suicide case, says Punjab Police ‘capable enough’

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said the Punjab Police were "capable enough" to carry out investigations into the suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, effectively rejecting Union home minister Amit Shah's offer to transfer the case to the CBI.Despite the victim's family and opposition leaders seeking a CBI probe, Mann maintained that the state's investigative process was sufficient for a "proper probe".The official had purportedly named former minister Laljit Singh Bhullar in a 12-second video before committing suicide, resulting in the latter's resignation and subsequent arrest.Replying to a question about Amit Shah's statement in Parliament on Monday expressing readiness to intervene, Mann countered by highlighting the immediate steps taken by his govt following the resignation of Laljit Singh Bhullar."The minister has resigned and has been arrested. A chief secretary-level committee has been asked to investigate, based on which action will be taken as per the law. The law is the same for ‘mantri and santri'. We don't try to save anyone. Punjab is like a family to me," said Mann.The CM lashed out at the opposition leaders, citing high-profile cases where suicides occurred after naming top political figures and police officials, yet did not result in CBI probes.He specifically pointed to the suicide of a Haryana ADGP in Chandigarh (Oct 2025), noting that the case resulted only in an administrative transfer, questioning why the demand for a CBI probe was not applied consistently in the past.Promising a proper investigation into the case, Mann said: "There will be a proper inquiry and the Punjab Police are capable of doing it. I had already sympathised with the family. The minister has been arrested. If more things come out in the case…If there are any conspirators… they will also be arrested."The CM also mocked the sudden solidarity among opposition leaders from the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP, noting that they "could be seen travelling in the same car".He added: "The law and order situation is under control, and only they are out of control. They think this is the only issue."Gagandeep Singh Randhawa died by suicide on March 21, 2026. He left behind a 12-second video explicitly naming and blaming Laljit Singh Bhullar for his death, citing harassment over a warehouse tender.Bhullar resigned from the state cabinet on March 21 and was arrested by the Punjab Police on March 23 from Mandi Gobindgarh. On Monday, Union home minister Amit Shah stated in the Lok Sabha that he was ready to order a CBI probe if all Punjab MPs submitted a written request. The same day, Randhawa's wife, Upinder Kaur, addressed the media in Amritsar and officially sought a CBI investigation, expressing concerns that a state-led probe might be influenced by the former minister's political clout.MSID:: 129778107 413 |