Tirupati Police has registered a case of cheating against 'godman' Murlidhar Katikar or 'Maharaj', who had erected a "replica" of the temple of Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati in this town, police sources said.
The sources said the Maharaj and his accomplices allegedly cheated people in the name of advance booking of the Tirupati temple 'darshan'.
They allegedly sold the ticket of 'Maha Pooja' for the next 25 years online for 500 each, the sources said adding, it was also suspected that many tickets have been sold to prominent industrialists and politicians and the "fraud" might have involved crores of rupees.
Published 07 December 2010, 02:34 IST