Punjab Newsline, Mohali-
Senior Congress leader and former Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu has urged Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to immediately suspend the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) of Mohali, Dhanwant Singh Randhawa, and initiate a fair and impartial investigation into serious allegations of financial irregularities and corruption.
Speaking to the media today, Sidhu revealed that Randhawa sanctioned a payment of Rs.13 crore to Meticulous Enterprises for cleaning, beautification, and renovation of the village pond in Bakarpur, despite the fact that no such work was ever executed. Similarly, in village Kurra, an amount of Rs.1.72 lakh was withdrawn from the Panchayat account for constructing a shed for solid waste disposal, but no shed exists even today.
Sidhu further stated that these are just tip of the iceberg, and a deeper probe will expose many more such scams. He added that Randhawa is also facing charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act in a case FIR No. 4 dated March 5, 2025 registered at the Mohali Vigilance Police Station for allegedly demanding bribes from Davinder Singh, former Sarpanch of Kurra. However, no action has been taken so far.
Instead, according to Sidhu, a false case of illegal mining was registered against Davinder Singh at Mohali’s IT Police Station on June 3, apparently at Randhawa’s behest, but the local court granted him anticipatory bail. Before the next hearing, the SHO added sections 409 and 7 & 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, but even this move was quashed by the Hon'ble Court on June 24, 2025, which granted Davinder Singh regular bail, taking serious note of the SHO’s overreach.
Sidhu called Randhawa a "habitually corrupt and criminal-minded officer," pointing out that he is also an accused in an earlier FIR No. 168 dated September 15, 2023 registered at Khanna Sadar Police Station under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B, and 166-A for forgery and making fake documents. That case is still under trial.
The former minister also disclosed that Baljinder Singh Garewal, District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) of Mohali, had filed a complaint on May 19, 2025, with the department secretary, seeking action against Randhawa for not following government instructions. Shockingly, instead of acting against Randhawa, the department transferred the DDPO himself.
Sidhu alleged that Randhawa acts as a stooge of Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh, who is allegedly protecting him while he harasses opposition-affiliated Panchayat members by trapping them in false cases. He added that BDPO Randhawa routinely demands bribes for issuing “utilization certificates” for completed Panchayat works. BDPO Randhawa summons Panchayat records and keeps in his personal custody for a long time only to put hurdles in operations of the Panchyats affiliated to opposite parties, he added.
Sidhu demanded that this corrupt officer, backed by political influence, be immediately suspended and investigated so that the Chief Minister can fulfill his promise of running a transparent and just government in Punjab.