Ex Punjab Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar Arrested, 2 Days After Official's Suicide

Former Punjab Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar has been arrested following a directive from Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, two days after an official of the state warehousing corporation died by suicide after accusing the AAP MLA of harassing him. 

In a post on social media, Bhullar said that he has surrendered. 

"For me, the entire Punjab is one family. If anyone in Punjab violates the law, strict action will be taken against them, no matter what position they hold or whether they are my relative or someone influential. Protecting anyone is not our party's agenda. There is a strict prohibition on cash and favours," said Chief Minister Mann.

ਮੇਰੇ ਲਈ ਸਾਰਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਹੀ ਇੱਕ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਹੈ..ਪੰਜਾਬ ਚ ਕੋਈ ਵੀ ਜੇਕਰ ਕਾਨੂੰਨ ਦੀ ਉਲੰਘਣਾ ਕਰੇਗਾ ਉਸ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਸਖ਼ਤ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਹੋਵੇਗੀ ਭਾਵੇਂ ਉਹ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਅਹੁਦੇ ਉੱਤੇ ਜਾਂ ਮੇਰਾ ਕੋਈ ਸਕਾ-ਸੰਬੰਧੀ ਜਾਂ ਰਸੂਖਦਾਰ ਹੋਵੇ..ਕਿਸੇ ਦੀ ਪੁਸ਼ਤ ਪਨਾਹੀ ਕਰਨੀ ਸਾਡੀ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਦਾ ਏਜੰਡਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ..ਕੈਸ਼ ਅਤੇ ਫਰਮਾਇਸ਼ ਦੀ ਸਖ਼ਤ ਮਨਾਹੀ ਹੈ..

— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) March 23, 2026

Laljit Bhullar controversy

The entire matter is related to the suicide of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, District Manager of Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, Amritsar. On March 21, 2026, Randhawa died by suicide by swallowing sulfas (poison) at his home. Before his death, he recorded a 12-second video on his mobile, in which he said: "Your friend has eaten sulfas out of fear of Minister Laljit Bhullar, now I can't escape."

What charges were brought against former Minister Laljit Bhullar?

According to the victim's family and union leaders, the matter was related to passing the tender for warehouses. It is alleged that Minister Bhullar was pressurising Randhawa to pass tenders in his father's name, which did not meet the technical specifications. On his refusal, the officer was called to the minister's residence on March 13, allegedly beaten up, and a false 'confession' of accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from him at gunpoint was recorded on video for blackmail.

FIR registered against Laljit Bhullar

After this video went viral, there was an uproar in Punjab. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann took immediate action and accepted Laljit Bhullar's resignation and handed over the matter to Chief Secretary KAP Sinha for an impartial investigation. A few hours later, Amritsar Police registered a case against Laljit Bhullar and his father, Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, under sections 109, 351(3), 3(5) of the IPC.

Opposition parties' statements and targets

The opposition parties have surrounded the government from all sides on this issue and have left no stone unturned in making it an election issue. In the past, all political parties united to protest and surround the CM's residence and demanded the registration of an FIR against former minister Laljit Bhullar.

AAP's response to the opponents

On this issue, where the statement of the Punjab Chief Minister came out that the law is equal for all, an investigation into this matter is underway. At the same time, the statement of Aam Aadmi Party General Secretary Baltej Pannu and AAP's chief spokesperson MLA Kuldeep Dhaliwal came out. Baltej Pannu asked the opponents when such speed had been shown in this matter before in Punjab politics? On the other hand, Kuldeep Dhaliwal says that the Chief Minister has done his duty honestly in this matter, and the law is equal for all. We will always be with Gagandeep's family. The law is doing its job. He will soon go to meet Gagandeep's family.

Laljit Bhullar is not the first minister to have had to leave the chair due to such serious allegations. Many leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, which came to power in the name of 'radical honesty' and changing the system, have been embroiled in serious controversies before.

Vijay Singla (Former Health Minister): Health Minister Vijay Singla was himself dismissed and sent to jail by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on charges of demanding commission in contracts.

Fauja Singh Sarari (Former Cabinet Minister): Sarari had to resign in January 2023 after an audio clip went viral in which he was allegedly planning extortion.

Lal Chand Kataruchak (Cabinet Minister): He was accused of serious allegations of sexual harassment by a youth, the video of which also surfaced. Although the victim later denied it, the matter brought the government into a lot of trouble.

Amit Ratan Kotfatta (MLA): The AAP MLA from Bathinda Rural was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau on charges of taking bribe from a sarpanch for releasing a grant.

Apart from this, former AAP cabinet minister Anmol Gagan Mann and MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj were accused of corruption. MLA from Rampura Phul Balkar Sidhu was also embroiled in controversies. Former minister Balkar Singh was accused of sexual harassment. Due to which he was shown the way out of the cabinet in May 2024. 

AAP MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra was arrested by the ED in September 2024 in connection with bank fraud.