Dr Chag’s ‘suicide note’ with purported names of BJP MP, father sent to FSL for verification, say police

Dr Chag, who held an MD in general medicines and used to run Navjeevan Hospital in Veraval town, was found hanging by a muffler tied to a ceiling fan at his residence on the fourth floor of the hospital building at noon on February 12. Police recovered a one-line note written in Gujarati from the room that read, “Hun Naranbhai tatha Rajeshbhaina Chudamsamana karne atmahatya karu chhu (I am committing suicide due to Naranbhai and Rajeshbhai Chudasama).”

Based on information provided by Chag’s son Hitarth, police registered a case of accidental death and began a probe. On February 17, Hitarth filed a written complaint with Veraval town police, naming Naran and Naran’s son Rajesh, BJP MP from Junagadh. In his complaint, Hitarth claimed that his father had lent around Rs 1.75 crore to Naran, Naran’s elder brother Hira and Rajesh in different instalments from 2008. However, the Chudasamas refused to return the money when his father demanded it in 2021, the complaint says.

It adds that Chag deposited one of the four blank cheques that Naran gave him after entering Rs 90 lakh in it on November 29, 2021. However, the bank dishonoured it. “When he informed Naranbhai and Rajeshbhai about this and pressed them to return his money, they started issuing threats… When my father told them that he would file a complaint, they told my father that they… would kidnap him and his lone son, and get them murdered,” Hitarth’s complaint states.

When reached out by The Indian Express, Hitarth said whatever he had to say was stated in his complaint.

Gir Somnath superintendent of police Manoharsinh Jadeja said, “We have sent the note to FSL Rajkot for handwriting analysis… We have also sent his phone to FSL to try and recover data… No FIR has been registered yet.”

While phone calls to Rajesh Chudasama, two-time MP from Junagadh, went unanswered, his father told The Indian Express over phone, “On February 3, he (Dr Chag) dialled me and informed me that he had lost Rs 8 crore to Rs 9 crore due to prices of Adani shares crashing. Thus, he suffered huge losses in stock market, driving him to suicide.”

Prices of Adani Group shares crashed in January following a report by Hindenburg Research, alleging stock manipulation and accounting fraud.

“During the phone call on February 3, he (Dr Chag) told me he needed my son’s help… He said he wanted to talk to some executive of Adani firm in Goa. However, I told him MPs generally don’t intervene in such matters,” Naran said.

When asked about the purported note with their  names, Naran said, “While we won’t be able to say exactly why our names are being dragged into this, a proper investigation will establish the exact reasons… our names are being floated due to political reasons.”

Adding that he knew Dr Chag since 1996 when his mother Mungiben had fallen ill, Naran said, “He had also treated my late wife Lakhi. I am a diabetic and have been taking medicines from him for 20 years. My brother Hira’s wife was admitted to his hospital till his suicide. Our family used to send him tiffin. He was cordial not only with our family but was also kind to the poor, treating them without fees. We are shocked why fingers are being pointed at us.”

Dr Chag’s wife has been living separately for several years.

When asked about Hitarth’s allegations about the Chudasamas not returning the money that the doctor had allegedly lent them, Naran said, “Let there be a thorough investigation and the truth will come out. I had an account in his hospital and I used to refer patients to his hospital for treatment at my expense and I used to clear the hospital bills later on.”

Demanding a probe, Rajya Sabha MP and director-corporate affairs of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Parimal Nathwani had tweeted on February 14, tagging Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, inspector general of police of Junagadh range and SPs of Gir Somnath and Junagadh.

On Monday, Nathwani repeated his demand, saying, “I personally knew Dr Chag and was aware of his services… Police should bring out the truth as to why such a person ended his life… and take action against culprits… irrespective of their political affiliations.”

An organisation of Lohana, the community from which Dr Chag hailed, took out rally in Surat city and submitted a memorandum to Surat collector, demanding strict legal action against those accused in the suicide note of Dr Chag.