Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): A retired bank employee from Hyderabad was defrauded of more than Rs one lakh in the name of booking for Bhasm Aarti darshan in Mahakal temple and staying in a hotel. The victim, Prassan Srishelam said that he had planned to visit Ujjain and Omkareshwar on May 5 and 6.
For this, while searching online for stay and darshan, he saw a site named Bhakta Niwas Accommodation and took the number from the website, and talked to them. One Ashish and the other Satish talked to him. To book hotel rooms in Omkareshwar and Ujjain and Bhasm Aarti tickets for 5 members, they asked him to send Rs 21,500 on PhonePe which he sent and after some time their call came.
Then they said that Rs 22,790 along with GST would have to be deposited and the amount above Rs 21,500 would be refunded. The victim paid again on PhonePe. After this, they asked him to pay Rs 21,500 again to get the refund of Rs 21,500 given earlier by him. They asked him to pay Rs 30,000 for a partial refund amount on PhonePe.
Then they said that only if he pays Rs 13,000 more he can get the full amount as the transaction is stuck there. Then the victim made the payment through net banking as per their request. By doing this they committed a total fraud of Rs 1,08,790. In this matter, an application has been given at Mahakal police station by a priest through whom Prassan was going to perform the pooja. Meanwhile, the police told them to file a complaint in Hyderabad instead.
