A shocking case of cybercrime has come to light in Patiala, where a retired Inspector General of Punjab Police, Amar Singh Chahal, attempted to take his own life after allegedly losing over Rs 8 crore to sophisticated online scammers. The incident, which occurred on Monday, has prompted the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified persons.
The Suicide Attempt and Immediate Aftermath
Amar Singh Chahal, a former IG, shot himself in the chest with a licensed revolver at his Patiala residence on Monday. The weapon reportedly belonged to his IRB gunman. Following emergency surgery at a private hospital, police confirmed that the retired officer is now in a stable condition and out of danger.
The police action was initiated after recording statements from Chahal's wife, son, and daughter-in-law. Interestingly, the FIR was registered based on a complaint lodged by Chahal's wife, as the victim himself had not formally reported the fraud to the authorities prior to the incident.
Details of the Elaborate Online Fraud
Investigations revealed that Chahal was ensnared by fraudsters posing as wealth managers on WhatsApp and Telegram. The groups, operating under the name 'F-777 DBS Wealth Equity Research Group', lured him with promises of high returns from stock trading.
In a detailed 12-page handwritten note addressed to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, found at his home, Chahal described the perpetrators as "sophisticated scammers." The modus operandi involved:
- Building trust by showing initial fake profits on fabricated dashboards.
- Pressuring for larger investments once confidence was gained.
- Directing funds through multiple bank accounts.
- Demanding additional taxes and fees, effectively blocking any withdrawal of funds.
Chahal invested approximately Rs 1 crore of his own money starting October last year. To meet the scammers' escalating demands, he borrowed an additional Rs 7 crore from friends and family, leading to a total loss of around Rs 8.1 crore.
Police Investigation and Frozen Accounts
SSP Varun Sharma stated that the case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to impersonation, cheating, and forgery, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.
The police have frozen about 25 bank accounts mentioned in the retired IG's note and are actively tracing the money trail. Digital evidence from the messaging platforms is also being examined. Sources indicated that Chahal had met with another recently retired senior police officer from Patiala a few days before the incident and appeared deeply depressed.
In his poignant note, Chahal expressed profound distress over the financial ruin and apologized to his family. He also demanded a thorough investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The case highlights the severe impact of organized online financial fraud, even on seasoned individuals.
