Gambling couple fleeces man of nearly Rs10m in Punjab

A couple addicted to online gambling managed to extort Rs9.8 million from a married man in the jurisdiction of Punjab's Kallar Syedan police station. The victim was reportedly subjected to constant blackmail and threats. He was allegedly harassed by the couple to the extent that he had to leave his home and move elsewhere to get rid of them. 

The police registered a case based on the statement of the victim's mother. According to the police, Ishrat, a resident of the Bajnial area of Kallar Syedan, reported that her 35-year-old son, Shoaib Zulfiqar, who is married and the father of a child, was working in a catering business, where he developed a relationship with Sameer and his wife, Aqsa. The couple were addicted to online gambling and soon introduced Shoaib to it as well.

Ishrat said that the couple would threaten Shoaib repeatedly, eventually extorting a total of Rs9.2 million. On the day he left, he gave them another Rs600,000 out of fear of their threats. He sent a WhatsApp message to his family explaining that he was leaving home to escape the couple. He handed his car keys to a trusted contact before departing.

The police have registered a case against the accused couple, who have reportedly gone into hiding, and said efforts are underway to apprehend them.