BATHINDA, June 21 – In a dramatic and ultimately self-defeating attempt to cover up a massive financial loss, a retired Army havildar allegedly faked a robbery after reportedly losing over ₹1 crore — including his pension and gratuity — to an online casino addiction over the past four years.
Avtar Singh, a resident of Kotli Khurd village and a recent retiree who left service on April 30, claimed on Friday that two young individuals – a boy and a girl – had robbed him at gunpoint of ₹15 lakh and his mobile phone after taking a lift on his motorcycle from Bathinda.
Singh told police he had just withdrawn the money from a bank in the city and was en route home when the pair allegedly drugged him with poison-laced juice at Gehri Bhagi T-intersection. He was later found unconscious and admitted to the local civil hospital.
But the story quickly fell apart under scrutiny.
“During our investigation, we found that Avtar Singh never visited any bank in Bathinda that day,” said Harjit Singh, DSP (Rural), Bathinda. “In fact, he was in Maur at the time, and his account didn’t have that kind of money. He fabricated the entire incident to hide the truth — that he had lost over ₹1 crore in online gambling. He also hoped to extract more money from his family.”
Police have now booked Avtar Singh under Section 217 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Kotfatta police station for deliberately misleading authorities and wasting official time.
“His own family no longer trusts him,” said DSP Singh. “We urge the public not to misuse police resources and to come forward with honest information. False claims not only delay justice but also divert attention from genuine cases.”
The case underscores a growing concern around online gambling and its devastating financial consequences, even among disciplined professionals.
