‘Multi-talented’ Punjab Police officer’s role under scanner in bizman suicide

Consequent to an FIR registered in the case, poet, singer, author, actor, mountaineer, skydiver and now an accused in Rajdeep’s abetment to suicide, Punjab Police AIG Gurjot Singh Kaler is on the run.

He accused Kaler in his suicide note of having invested in his immigration business even though he was a police officer. Rajdeep further states that in February this year he returned the Rs 1.60 crore to Kaler but he was being arm twisted for more money in the name of profits earned. “I made no profit so how can I pay more,” says Rajdeep in the video.

The deceased also said in his suicide note that he was repeatedly called to the house of the AIG where he was humiliated in front of other policemen, his videos were made and he was threatened that his business and family would be destroyed.

Three more persons, Sameer Aggarwal (a chartered accountant), Rinku Krishna (a caterer) and Shayna Arora (immigration consultant), were named by the businessmen of having cheated him off his money and they too have been named in the FIR along with a Assistant Sub Inspector Rishi Rana who is believed to be the personal security officer of the AIG.

Kaler has been enjoying a celebrity status till now with numerous media reports and TV interviews cataloguing his various exploits as an author, poet, singer, mountaineer and sky diver. A three-time awardee of DGPs commendation disc, he also received the Chief Minister’s Medal for Outstanding Devotion to Duty in 2023.

Deputy Superintendent of Police HS Bal, who is investigating the matter, said the AIG is presently deputed with the Manipur Police where he is part of a Special Investigating Team inquiring into the incidents of violence which took place in the recent past. “He may have been here on leave when his interactions with the deceased person took place. An FIR has been registered for abetment to suicide under Section 108 and criminal conspiracy under Sec 61 (2) of the BNA Act, 2023. He is absconding at present and raids are being conducted to nab him,” said Bal.

Mohali SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans said investigations into the matter were still taking place and the allegations against the accused were being verified. “The FIR is just two days old. We are conducting inquiries into the charges of abetment to suicide,” said Hans.

A Punjab Police Service officer of 2012 batch, Kaler has earlier served as AIG in the Excise and Taxation department of the state, SP Traffic Mohali and SP Cyber Crime and and deputy director of Digital Investigation Training and Analysis Centre (DITAC).

When he is not singing songs and acting in music videos dedicated to farmers or the personnel who died in Pulwama terror attack, Kaler has been involved in activities as diverse as authoring a book on Battle of Longewala fought in the 1971 war, climbing mountain peaks in Africa and Himachal Pradesh, skydiving in United Kingdom and penning songs on drug de-addiction.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said it did not matter if the accused is a police official or any civilian. “The truth shall prevail and justice will be done. The identity of any accused will not be an impediment to a fair investigation,” he said.

Kaler did not respond to phone call and text message eliciting his comments.

Ramesh Grover, the advocate for Paramjeet Singh, the father of the deceased says the family wants justice. “We have handed over all material, including CCTV footage and suicide note to the police. We hope the law will take its own course,” he said.

Meanwhile, the body was cremated Thursday in a Moga village. Rajdeep is survived by his wife, son and daughter.