Man fakes robbery after losing 1.6L in online betting, arrested

Jaipur: A 32-year-old man was arrested Sunday for staging a fake robbery to recover money he lost in online gambling . The accused, Siyaram Meena , called the police control room claiming he was assaulted and robbed of Rs 2 lakh by men in two vehicles in the Nai Ki Thadi area under Jaysinghpura Khor police station.

The incident was reported on July 5. Meena alleged that his motorcycle was stopped and a bag containing cash was snatched. SHO Mukesh Kumar and his team reached the spot to investigate.

However, no signs of a scuffle or robbery were found, and eyewitness accounts contradicted Meena's statement. CCTV footage showed him riding with the bag and later without it, raising suspicion and leading to his arrest. When questioned about the cash, Meena claimed he was carrying two bundles of Rs 500 notes. Officers said that Rs 2 lakh would require four such bundles, exposing his lack of preparation in fabricating the lie.

Confronted with mounting evidence, Meena broke down and confessed. He admitted that he lost Rs 1.60 lakh in online gambling through a betting ID taken from his friend Mohit. Fearing pressure and embarrassment, he deleted the betting app from his phone and invented the robbery to avoid repayment.

The accused also provided false vehicle numbers to mislead investigators. Police later discovered that the so-called crime scene and the alleged suspects were all figments of Meena's imagination. The case has been registered under sections pertaining to furnishing false information to the police. Officers said Meena's addiction to gambling led him down the path of deceit and legal trouble.

Police have warned the public against misusing emergency services and assured that stern action will be taken against those attempting to divert police resources with fake reports.