In a shocking case of fraud, Visakhapatnam police have arrested seven individuals, including a self-proclaimed spiritual guru named Yogendra Baba (real name Paidipati Venkata Bhargav Raghava, 35), for defrauding four people of Rs28 lakh through deceptive religious rituals.
The accused operated under the pretext of offering victims a golden locket through special ceremonies. The victims were introduced to Yogendra Baba and were convinced to fund elaborate rituals. The suspects rented a house in Anandapuram and performed staged ceremonies in which they allegedly buried containers filled with stones, referred to as ‘Lanka Bindas,’ at a local temple. During the rituals, victims were led to ‘discover’ these buried items, and were subsequently coerced into paying more money for additional ceremonies, with threats issued if they refused.
The scam came to light after one of the victims, Appala Raju, filed a complaint with the police, leading to an investigation. Police successfully recovered Rs1.75 lakh in cash, along with mobile phones, a car, brass lockets, gold-plated coins, and sprays from the accused.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing need for public awareness regarding frauds disguised as spiritual practices and rituals.