Mann rejects CBI probe into official’s suicide

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday rejected the Opposition’s demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged suicide of a state warehousing official, asserting that the Punjab Police is fully capable of investigating the case.

The CM’s categorical rejection of the opposition parties’ demand came a day after Union home minister Amit Shah told some state MPs in Parliament that he was ready to transfer the probe to the CBI. Shah expressed his willingness to transfer the investigation to the central probe agency after a Congress MP raised the matter in the Lok Sabha. The case, which has triggered a political row, involves allegations of harassment against former cabinet minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s Patti MLA Laljit Bhullar. Bhullar resigned from the state cabinet on Saturday after a district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation died by suicide. The AAP leader was arrested on Monday.

Responding to a media query on the opposition parties’ demand, Mann said the minister had resigned, had been arrested, and that the matter would be investigated properly. “A chief secretary-level committee has been tasked with inquiring into the matter. The law is the same for everyone, including mantri and santri. Action will be taken strictly in accordance with the law. We neither support nor shield anyone,” he told reporters at a press conference here, dismissing calls for the central government’s intervention.

The chief minister also questioned the opposition parties’ track record in handling similar incidents. Referring to the suicide of senior Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, Mann asked, “While the officer died by suicide, did anyone give the case to the CBI?” He also cited other instances, linking them to Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, and Shah. “Who resigned? When did the CBI investigate?” he asked.

Taking a jibe at the opposition leaders’ joint protest, Mann said he was ‘happy’ that they all came together. He claimed that Raja Warring, Partap Singh Bajwa, Sunil Jakhar, and Bikram Singh Majithia were sitting in the same car. “They have united to oppose Bhagwant Mann. Law and order is under control, only they are out of control. They think this is the only issue,” he added.