Six college students from Rajasthan have been arrested for allegedly running a cyber fraud network that targeted pilgrims trying to book guest houses managed by the Shree Somnath Trust, officials said on Tuesday.
The State Cyber Centre of Excellence launched the action after multiple complaints from pilgrims who booked rooms at Sagar Darshan, Maheshwari, and Lilavati Guest Houses but found no record of their reservations in the Trust’s system.
The Shree Somnath Trust only allows bookings through its official website and does not authorize third-party platforms like Agoda. During the investigation, authorities discovered four fake websites mimicking the official booking portal.
The accused allegedly copied the original site’s design, logo, and photographs and modified them using artificial intelligence tools to make the sites look authentic. These websites displayed phone numbers operated by the fraudsters and asked pilgrims to make advance payments via QR codes, UPI, or bank transfers. Some victims were even redirected from online puja or donation links.
Officials said the group paid for online promotions to ensure their fake websites appeared at the top of Google search results. They also used location-changing apps to mislead victims about the origin of calls and services. After receiving payments, AI-generated booking receipts were sent to victims, who discovered the fraud only upon reaching the guest houses.
Technical surveillance traced the operation to a rented property in Jaipur, where the six students—Sachin Harsana, Abhishek Upadhyay, Rajkumar Pratap, Shersingh, Madhav Gurjar, and Vishnukum Avatar—had been running the scam for around five months.
SP Rajdeepsinh Zala said, “The accused used advanced AI tools to create fake booking sites for Somnath guest houses. They copied images and designs, added fake contacts, and collected payments directly into their accounts via QR codes.”
Bank account analysis and transaction records linked the group to more than 90 cyber fraud complaints across India, including 43 in Gujarat, 16 in Maharashtra, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 5 in Rajasthan, and several in other states. Authorities estimate the Somnath-related scams alone defrauded pilgrims of around Rs20 lakh.
The accused also allegedly created fake booking portals for other religious destinations, including ISKCON Vrindavan, Kashi Vishwanath, and Nathdwara. Officials have urged pilgrims to book accommodations only through the official Shree Somnath Trust website and verify any online portal before making payments.
