In a significant breakthrough, the Cyber Crime unit of Prayagraj police has uncovered a major racket that was scamming devotees and pilgrims. The perpetrators were operating multiple fake websites designed to cheat people by offering false bookings for hostels, cottages, and tents at the Mahakumbh. Authorities arrested four individuals, all with technical expertise, from different parts of India.
The arrested suspects—Pankaj Kumar (35), Yash Chaubey (20), Ankit Kumar Gupta (24), and Aman Kumar (29)—hailed from Nalanda (Bihar), Varanasi, and Azamgarh. Police seized several devices, including laptops, smartphones, and ATM cards, from the culprits. The fake websites, which promised various Mahakumbh accommodation services, lured victims by offering attractive deals. However, the sites were mere fraudulent operations, with some hostels listed not even existing.
DCP (City) Abhishek Bharti informed that the suspects were working in software companies with qualifications in technical fields. The cyber police received several complaints regarding the scam, leading to multiple FIRs being filed. Among the seized websites were domains like kumbhcottagebooking.com, mahakumbhcottagebooking.org, and mahakumbhtentbooking.org.
The racketeers operated these fraudulent sites for a month, exploiting pilgrims who trusted them for Mahakumbh bookings. Police are now tracing the financial trail to determine the full extent of the financial losses caused by this elaborate scam.