Chandigarh, March 22 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Sunday joined the protest along with Congress workers, standing in solidarity with the family of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the District Manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, who ended his life and accused a minister of harassment and coercion.
Bajwa reiterated that “this is not merely a fight for one family, but a larger battle for justice, accountability, and the protection of honest officers in Punjab”.
Bajwa said serious allegations have emerged indicating that Randhawa was subjected to illegal confinement and extortion.
“The facts clearly establish cognizable offences, and the law must take its due course without delay or dilution,” he said.
He demanded that provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act be invoked against accused Laljit Singh Bhullar, now a former minister, for allegedly misusing his official position to coerce a public servant into committing illegal acts.
Additionally, Bajwa pointed out that under Section 239 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (earlier Section 202 of the IPC), there appears to be a deliberate omission by responsible authorities to report offences of attempted extortion to the police.
Emphasising that accountability cannot be selective, Bajwa said, “The responsibility does not end with one individual. The Managing Director of Warehousing, the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, the Chief Secretary, and even Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must be investigated and booked for dereliction of duty.”
He further added CM Mann also holds the Cooperation portfolio, under which the Warehousing Department functions, making him directly responsible for oversight and accountability in this matter.
Raising concerns over the investigation, Bajwa questioned why the police have not yet seized the mobile phones of Bhullar and his alleged accomplices.
He also demanded that mobile tower dump data be collected to identify all individuals present at the location where the officer was allegedly assaulted.
Further, he said CCTV footage from Bhullar’s premises must be secured immediately to preserve crucial evidence.
Bajwa cautioned that the FIR must not become a tool to exonerate the accused through legal loopholes, but instead be developed into a watertight case that ensures justice and acts as a strong deterrent against abuse of power in the future.
“The Congress will not allow this matter to be brushed under the carpet. We will continue this struggle with unwavering resolve until justice is delivered. Justice must be complete, not selective,” Bajwa added.
–IANS
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