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Rs 8.1 crore online fraud: 2 held from Thane for duping retired Punjab top cop; 500 SIM cards seized

The accused were allegedly using multiple SIM cards to operate fake investment platforms and communicate with victims, as per the police.

2 min readLudhianaDec 31, 2025 07:31 PM IST

Police investigations had initially pointed towards Maharashtra-based cyber fraud links, following which teams were sent outside Punjab to trace the accused. (Representational image/File)

In a breakthrough in the ₹8.1 crore online fraud case involving retired Punjab IPS officer Amar Singh Chahal, the Patiala police have arrested two people from Thane in Maharashtra and seized over 500 SIM cards allegedly used in the scam.

The arrests were made this week, the police said, adding that the accused were part of an organised cyber fraud network. The accused were allegedly using multiple SIM cards to operate fake investment platforms and communicate with victims. The identity of the arrested persons has not been disclosed yet.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Patiala, Varun Sharma, confirmed the arrests and recovery. “Two arrests have been made in this case from Mumbai’s Thane area, and more than 500 SIM cards have been recovered. Further investigation is underway,” he said.

Chahal had attempted suicide on December 22 at his Patiala residence after allegedly being duped by cyber fraudsters. A First Information Report in the matter was registered on December 23.

Earlier, the Patiala police had frozen 25 bank accounts linked to suspicious transactions either carried out by Chahal or shared with him through an online investment WhatsApp group operating under the name ‘F777 DBS Group’. Investigators revealed that one of the accounts had nearly ₹3 crore at the time it was frozen.

Police investigations had initially pointed towards Maharashtra-based cyber fraud links, following which teams were sent outside Punjab to trace the accused. The arrests from Thane mark the first major custodial action in the case.

Chahal, a former inspector general of police, had suffered a gunshot injury near his heart when he attempted suicide. He was immediately rushed to Park Hospital, Patiala, by a police team. Doctors performed surgery to repair damage to his lung, and his condition has since stabilised.

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On Tuesday, Chahal released a video message from the hospital, assuring well-wishers of his recovery. “I am fine now. With the grace of God, progress is happening. Because of the risk of infection, visitors are not allowed. Thank you all for your best wishes. We will meet soon…,” he said.

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