Patiala, Dec. 23 — Patiala police have registered a case of forgery and IT Act violations following allegations made by former Punjab-cadre IPS officer Amar Singh Chahal, who allegedly shot himself after claiming he was defrauded of more than Rs 8 crore by cyber scammers.
Senior police officers said the FIR was registered based on a handwritten note recovered after the incident, in which the retired officer detailed the alleged fraud and named an online investment group.
“We have registered an FIR and initiated a probe to ascertain the role of everyone involved,” Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said. “We will ensure that the cyber criminals are brought to justice and that all those linked to the fraud are identified and arrested.”
Chahal, a former Inspector General who retired in 2019, was rushed to a private hospital with critical injuries and underwent surgery. Doctors are closely monitoring his condition.
“The next 48 to 72 hours are crucial,” a senior officer said, citing medical updates shared by the treating team.
In the alleged suicide note, Chahal wrote that he had been “scammed out of crores of rupees” by what he described as “very sophisticated investment and wealth managers.”
“Most of the money I borrowed was from friends and relatives whom I am not able to face as I have no money to repay them,” he wrote. “I am left with no option other than to take my life.”
According to the note, Chahal said he had invested money over nearly a decade but instead of returns, was repeatedly asked to put in more funds. He alleged that the main accused used the photograph of the CEO of a reputed company on a WhatsApp profile and that all transactions were carried out online through bank accounts.
The note named an entity called “F777 Wealth Equity Research Group” and claimed it operated through multiple phone numbers. Chahal wrote that he had borrowed over Rs 7 crore from friends and relatives and felt “ashamed” to face them.
Before allegedly attempting suicide, Chahal also wrote to the Prime Minister, the Union home and finance ministers, and the Punjab DGP, seeking a CBI probe or a special investigation team to investigate the alleged scam.
“I hope the criminals will not go unpunished and my family will get justice,” he wrote, also appealing to friends who had lent him money to allow his family time to recover from the shock.
Police said the investigation is ongoing. Chahal is also one of the accused in the 2015 Faridkot firing case.
Read more: Ex-IPS officer Amar Singh Chahal critical after alleged suicide attempt
