Chandigarh: Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu announced on Sunday, April 5, 2026, that a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe will be conducted into the death of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa. Randhawa, the District Manager of the Punjab Warehousing Corporation, died by suicide on March 21 after allegedly consuming a poisonous substance. The announcement followed a half-hour meeting between Bittu and the deceased official’s family, who have accused former AAP Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar of extreme humiliation and intimidation.
The move for a federal investigation aligns with a previous commitment made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 23. Shah had promised Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla that a CBI inquiry would be initiated if all Punjab MPs submitted a joint written request. While the Punjab Police have already arrested Bhullar, Bittu criticized the state authorities for failing to apprehend the former minister’s father and another suspect, Dilbagh Singh, suggesting that local political pressure may be hindering the investigation.
Political fallout and allegations against AAP leadership:
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Video Evidence: A 12-second video surfaced shortly after the incident in which Randhawa purportedly recorded his final moments, explicitly naming Bhullar as the reason for his extreme step due to constant harassment.
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Criticism of Punjab Congress: Ravneet Singh Bittu expressed disappointment with Punjab Congress Chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, alleging that Warring backed out of an earlier agreement to sign the joint request for the CBI probe. Bittu also questioned the silence of AAP MPs regarding the death of a state official.
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Government Negligence: Bittu hit out at the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government, noting that no state minister or party representative had visited the grieving family. He accused the AAP of failing to restrain its leaders, drawing parallels between the conduct of Bhullar and recent controversies surrounding Raghav Chadha.
In a further escalation of the internal turmoil within the Aam Aadmi Party, Bittu alleged that Raghav Chadha’s removal as the Deputy Leader of the AAP in the Rajya Sabha was not due to “softness” toward the BJP, but rather a dispute over the handling of party fund collections. He suggested that the party is currently grappling with widespread indiscipline among its top leadership, which has resulted in tragic consequences for state officials like Randhawa.
