Misleading Website Targeted in Lord Jagannath Darshan Scam

Bhubaneswar, Sep 1 (PTI) The Cyber Police Station in Odisha's Puri has taken action against a website accused of misleading devotees of Lord Jagannath and collecting money under false pretenses, promising facilitated darshan of sibling deities at the historic 12th-century temple. A high-ranking officer revealed details on Monday. The complaint, lodged by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Sunday, led to the registration of a case against the website 'India Thrill'. Charges have been filed under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the IT Act. "Efforts are underway to identify and prosecute those involved," a police officer said. Deputy SP Sanghamitra Nayak has been appointed to lead the investigation into these claims, with the complaint registered by Hemant Kumar Padhi, the SJTA's Officer of Special Duty (OSD) for security. The SJTA has clarified that the temple administration does not require any payment from devotees for darshan or worship services. "We observed a platform promoting paid darshan options, which is fraudulent and illegal. Darshan and prayers here are completely free," SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee told reporters. The website owners remain unreachable for their response to the allegations. The temple administration has advised devotees to avoid being deceived by fraudulent websites. Allegations claim charges of Rs 50, Rs 100, and Rs 500 were being imposed for darshan, varying by time and category. An SJTA official noted that the site also included details about the temple's history, rituals, and darshan timings. Puri SP Prateek Singh urged devotees to remain vigilant against such misleading sites. "Legal measures will be taken to counter false and deceptive online content," the SP confirmed. Previously, on August 30, district police identified another website duping devotees by offering online pujas and collecting money. This site demanded payments for rituals such as 'Abhishek Puja' and 'Tulsi Daan Puja,' alongside special darshan offerings for Lord Jagannath. "These rituals do not exist at Shree Mandir in Puri," commented Sudarshan Pattnaik, a former member of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee.

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