The Punjab Government has cancelled the tender for constructing a 50,000-metric tonne (MT) godown at Patti/Bhikhiwind, ending the bidding process that had become the centre of a controversy involving former minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and the late Punjab State Warehousing Corporation district manager, Gagandeep Singh Randhawa.
Randhawa died by suicide earlier this year. Bhullar was later arrested on charges of abetting the suicide. Before his death, Randhawa alleged in a video that he was taking the extreme step “out of fear of (the then) minister Laljit Singh Bhullar”. His wife later alleged that the former minister had pressured him to award the tender to a firm owned by Bhullar’s father, Sukhdev Singh Bhullar.
Tender cancelled due to bid validity expiry
Official sources told The Tribune that the tender was cancelled because the bid validity of the successful bidder, Baba Naga Agri Private Limited, expired and the company did not agree to extend it. The tender was initially valid for 120 days. It was subsequently extended by 45 days and then by another 90 days after the project became embroiled in controversy.
“Despite reminders and personal hearings, the company did not extend the bid validity. No offer for construction of the godown under the 10-year Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) Scheme now remains in effect. The validity of the tender expired on May 27,” a senior government official said.
Next steps and committee involvement
Punjab State Warehousing Corporation Managing Director Jasbir Singh said the matter would now be placed before the state-level committee. The committee includes the Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies; the Director, Food and Civil Supplies; and the General Manager of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The tenders were opened in September 2025, with Baba Naga Agri Private Limited and Sukhdev Singh Bhullar’s firm participating in the bidding. According to official sources, the final evaluated bids were Rs 115.25 per MT for Bhullar’s firm and Rs 115.03 per MT for Baba Naga, making the latter the successful bidder.
Bhullar’s challenge and FCI objection
Bhullar had challenged the award, arguing that his site was only 8.6 km from the Patti railhead, compared with 22 km for Baba Naga. Warehousing officials rejected the objection, saying Baba Naga’s quoted rent was significantly lower. However, the Food Corporation of India had maintained that Baba Naga’s site was outside the notified centre.
