Former Punjab IPS officer shoots himself after allegedly losing ₹8.10 Cr in Cyber fraud
A retired senior IPS officer of the Punjab cadre allegedly shot himself at his residence in Patiala on Monday after claiming he had been cheated of ₹8.10 crore in an online investment scam , police said.
The officer, identified as Amar Singh Chahal , a former Inspector General of Police, sustained a gunshot injury to the chest and was rushed to a private hospital, where he remains in critical condition . The firearm used in the incident was reportedly a licensed weapon belonging to his personal security guard , officials said.
Police recovered a 12-page handwritten note from the house, in which Chahal detailed how he was allegedly drawn into a cyber fraud masquerading as a high-return investment opportunity. According to preliminary findings, the retired officer was contacted through WhatsApp and Telegram groups claiming to offer professional wealth management services.
The note reportedly states that the fraudsters projected themselves as financial experts linked to reputed institutions and encouraged investments in stock trading, IPOs and so-called quantitative funds. Chahal claimed that he was shown fabricated digital dashboards reflecting high profits , which prompted him to transfer large sums over time.
When he attempted to withdraw the money, he was allegedly asked to pay additional charges in the name of taxes and processing fees. The withdrawals never materialised, and access to the accounts was eventually blocked, the note said.
Senior police officials said that investigations are currently focused on two aspects the firing incident and the alleged cyber fraud. The suicide note, bank transaction details, mobile phones and other electronic devices have been seized for examination.
A senior police officer confirmed that no separate FIR has yet been registered specifically for the cyber fraud , but added that the matter is under active scrutiny and a case will be registered once the verification of financial and digital evidence is completed.
“The allegations are serious. We are examining all records to establish the flow of money and the identity of the persons involved,” a police official said.
Appeal for Probe :
In his note, the retired officer reportedly expressed deep distress over the financial loss and apologised to his family. He also appealed to the Punjab Police leadership to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or involve a central agency to trace the alleged fraudsters and recover the money.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing menace of cyber investment frauds, which increasingly rely on social media and encrypted messaging platforms to target victims across professions and age groups. Law-enforcement agencies have repeatedly warned that promises of assured or unusually high returns are a common red flag in such scams.
Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious online financial activity to the national cybercrime helpline (1930) or the cybercrime portal.