Bhubaneswar, April 29 - The Crime Branch of Odisha Police has arrested two persons from Uttar Pradesh on charges of creating a fake website in the name of Sri Jagannath Temple Puri Guest House and cheating people. The Chief Administrator of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had filed a complaint with the police regarding the fake website of the temple guest house. The Crime Branch said in a statement that the accused had started a fake website named www.neeladribhaktanivas.in and used to contact the devotees of Lord Jagannath through a mobile number and WhatsApp.
They were asking the devotees to deposit money online on the pretext of booking accommodation at Neeladribhaktanivas, a guest house of Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri. The Crime Branch said that they have arrested an IT professional from Agra and his accomplice from Prayagraj for creating a fake website in the name of Neeladir Bhagat Niwas in Puri and cheating people.
The Crime Branch said that the two had also used a savings account of Canara Bank for this fraud, adding that a laptop, mobile phone, SIM card, website details of Neeladir Bhagat Niwas, Aadhaar card, PAN card and hosting details have been seized from the accused.
SJTA Chief Administrator Arvinda Padhi, in a post on X, advised devotees to book accommodation in the temple guesthouse only through the official website www.shreejagannath.in. The Crime Branch has also requested tourists visiting Puri to be careful while booking hotels.