Ayodhya Ram Temple
Credit: PTI File Photo
Lucknow: The police in Ayodhya unearthed a cyber fraud worth Rs 3.85 crore as over six lakh devotees were duped on the pretext of having prasad delivered during last year's consecration ceremony of Ram Lala at Ayodhya
According to the police sources, around Rs 2 crore were returned to more than 3.72 victims.
Sources said that the mastermind Ashish Singh, a resident of Ghaziabad, who lived in the USA, formed a website in the run-up to the consecration of Ram Lala last year, offering free delivery of prasad, a model of the Ram Temple and a gold coin.
A complaint was lodged with the police in this connection with the fraud.
Ayodhya police chief Gourav Grover said that the matter had come to light on January 17 last year.
Sources said that Ashish had charged Rs 51 from Indian customers and 11 dollars from foreign ones for delivering of prasad and other things.
Over six lakh devotees were tricked into making the payment but they didn't get anything.
Ashish was nabbed when he returned to India to resolve the issue. The police recovered two laptops, two iPhones, five debit cards, a driving licence of Washington and some cash.
Police said that Singh used various payment gateways to receive money from the victims.
Sources said that police are trying to ensure that the remaining amount will also be returned to the victims.
The cyber crime police were given a cash reward for ensuring that the duped victims were given their money back.