126 fake religious websites, 21,985 victims: Gujarat police bust cyber fraud gang

An interstate cybercrime gang allegedly targeting devotees through fake websites of hotels, dharamshalas and ashrams near popular religious destinations across India has been busted by Gujarat Police, with two people arrested in connection with the racket.

The accused allegedly created 126 fake websites across 11 states, including around 40-41 portals targeting religious destinations in Gujarat. The websites offered services such as accommodation bookings, online puja and VIP darshan, allegedly collecting advance payments from devotees.

According to an investigation by the Gujarat Cyber Center of Excellence, around 21,985 people across the country were allegedly cheated through the racket, with the fraud amount running into crores of rupees.

The arrested accused have been identified as Vicky Gupta, a BTech engineer from Delhi who police allege was the mastermind, and Shailesh Saini, a resident of Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Investigators said Gupta operated the network from his home, while Saini allegedly assisted with financial transactions and technical operations.

AI images used to make fake websites appear genuine

According to investigators, the accused allegedly used their technical expertise and AI-generated images to make the fraudulent websites appear authentic.

The portals reportedly appeared in online searches when devotees looked for accommodation, puja bookings, VIP darshan and other services near popular pilgrimage destinations.

Once visitors contacted the operators through the websites, they were allegedly asked to make advance payments. The fraud was often discovered only after devotees reached their destination and found that their bookings did not exist.

Police said the racket had been operating for around eight months. The accused allegedly changed domain names frequently to evade detection by cybercrime agencies and continue targeting new victims.

Gujarat religious destinations among major targets

Religious destinations in Gujarat were among the key targets of the alleged cyber fraud network. Investigators found around 40 fake portals created in the names of prominent religious sites across the state.

These included multiple websites targeting devotees visiting Salangpur Kashtabhanjan Dev, along with portals allegedly created in the names of Somnath at Prabhas Patan, Dwarka Jagat Mandir, the Palitana Jain shrine, Girnar and Ambaji in Junagadh, and Akshardham in Gandhinagar.

The alleged network also targeted devotees visiting several major religious destinations outside Gujarat, including Tirupati Devasthanam, Tirumala, Katra, Shirdi, Jagannath Puri, Vrindavan, Rishikesh and Haridwar.

70 cyber fraud complaints registered

Police said around 70 cyber fraud complaints connected to the alleged racket have been registered across the country so far.

Dr Rajdeepsinh Jhala, Superintendent of Police, Cyber Center of Excellence, said the investigation has now expanded beyond Gujarat. Two special police teams have reportedly been deployed outside the state to trace individuals allegedly involved in purchasing the 126 domains and creating the fraudulent websites.

Investigators are also examining the financial trail to determine how the money collected from victims was routed and whether additional people were involved in the interstate operation.

The police are continuing to identify more victims and assess the total amount allegedly siphoned off through the fake booking portals.

The case highlights the growing use of AI-generated content and professionally designed fake websites in cyber fraud, particularly in sectors where users are likely to make advance online payments. Devotees searching for accommodation, religious services or VIP darshan online may therefore need to verify booking portals through official temple or tourism websites before making payments.