In a harrowing incident that has sent shockwaves through the law enforcement fraternity, retired Punjab Inspector General of Police (IG) Amar Singh Chahal allegedly shot himself at his residence in Patiala on Monday. The senior former IPS officer is reportedly in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest.
The Incident
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon at Chahal’s residence in Patiala. According to police reports, Chahal used a security guard's weapon to shoot himself. Upon hearing the gunshot, family members and security personnel rushed to the spot and immediately informed the local police.
Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma confirmed that police teams reached the site within 10 minutes. Chahal was rushed to a local private hospital, where he is currently undergoing emergency treatment and remains in a precarious state.
The 12-Page Suicide Note
Investigators recovered a detailed handwritten note—spanning approximately 12 to 16 pages—addressed to the Director General of Punjab Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, as well as copies intended for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
In the note, Chahal detailed a harrowing account of being targeted by a "highly sophisticated gang of scammers." He claimed to have been duped of ₹8.10 crore in an elaborate online investment fraud.
Key details from the note include:
- The Scheme: Fraudsters operating under the banner of a fake wealth management group (purportedly linked to a major bank) lured him through WhatsApp and Telegram.
- The Hook: He was shown a fake digital dashboard reflecting massive "profits" on his investments in stocks and IPOs.
- The Loss: Chahal stated he invested ₹1 crore of his own savings and borrowed the remaining amount from friends and relatives, hoping to capitalize on the returns.
- The Extortion: When he tried to withdraw his funds, the scammers demanded "taxes" and "processing fees," eventually leading to the total loss of his capital.
"I feel ashamed and broken... No one other than the scammers is responsible for my decision," the note reportedly stated, as Chahal apologized to his family for the financial devastation.
A Controversial Career
Amar Singh Chahal was a well-known figure in Punjab, though his career was marked by recent legal battles. He was one of the senior officers named in the chargesheet for the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases, which involved police action against protesters during the sacrilege incidents in Faridkot.
Investigation Underway
The Patiala police have initiated a dual investigation. While one team is probing the circumstances of the suicide attempt, the Cyber Cell is tracking the money trail and digital footprints of the "F-777 DBS Wealth Equity Research Group" mentioned in the note.
The incident highlights the alarming reach of organized cybercrime in India, proving that even high-ranking former security officials are not immune to the sophisticated psychological and technical tactics used by modern scammers.
