The Govindarajanagar police have arrested 35-year-old Raghavendra Rao for defrauding devotees of Rs 70 lakh by promising them a pilgrimage to Prayagraj for the recently concluded Kumbh Mela. Rao, who previously worked with local TV channels, was apprehended on Monday.
According to the police, Rao advertised seven-day tour packages on social media, offering visits to major religious sites like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and other places in Uttar Pradesh. He initially conducted a few successful trips and shared their photographs online, enticing more people to sign up.
So far, 21 complaints have been registered at the Govindarajanagar police station, with the majority of victims being elderly individuals. The police revealed that Rao charged Rs 49,000 per person for the tour. He now faces multiple charges under sections related to cheating.
A senior police officer stated that during the investigation, it was found that Rao used the money from the fraudulent tours for online betting, which ultimately led to his financial losses. The police also discovered several betting apps on his phone, which he frequently used.
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