In a shocking development in Maharashtra few days ago, a case of cheating of devotees of Hindu shrine of Shri Tulja Bhavani Devi has been came to light. Shri. Kaustubh Divegaonkar, Dharashiv (Osmanabad) district majistrate and collector, had ordered police to register a FIR against five bogus websites impersonating as Shri Tulaja Bhavani Devasthan's official websites and collecting large money from devotees illegally. What's more shocking is, even after eight days of registering FIR and while cell numbers of concerned web developers and fake site administrators are clearly mentioned on those websites, not a single arrest has been made by the district police. A highly placed source told The Organiser on condition of anonymity, that there might be some political leaders from the ruling MVA are involved in the matter and the political pressure on police is obviously visible.
One devotee Shri Balasaheb Subhedar had wrote a letter to district magistrate and collector of Dharashiv (Osmanabad) ten days ago, drawing his attention to the online fraud being committed by five websites and collecting money impersonating as official website of Shri Tulaja Bhavani Devi. The collector being the head of the Devasthan Board ordered the Devasthan management committee to look in to the matter. As He received the report, he ordered the police to register FIR against these five bogus websites. Tulajapur Police registered the FIR on 23 rd October. Not a single arrest has been made till date. The websites are collecting money from the devotees for Prasada, Abhishek, Puja and other rituals at the Tulja Bhavani Mandir.
Shri Tulja Bhavani situated at Tuljapur town is worshipped by entire Maharashtra and is mentioned as Kul-Swamini (Kuldevata – penates deity ) of Maharashtra.
Everyone involved in this bogus website matter is avoiding questions and keeping silence. A local BJP leader alleged that there might be som,e political leaders from ruling MVA involved in this online scam. Balasaheb Subhedar, who is original complainant, is naturally irritated on the delay in arrests by the local police. He asked some local journalists whether the local cyber police is hand-in-glove withe culprits as he could not understand the lack of action despite the cell numbers of the culprits are available openly.
Anil, a local vendor at Tulajapur town who runs a pooja bhandar ( a shop of items required for Pooja) says he thinks some political workers are behind the scam. He asks further, that how can we explain that someone can impersonate a Devsthan / temple that is run by government authorities and remain free even after the FIR?
Few local journalists are suspecting that some elements in the local police and the culprits are hand in glove. Local video news channels and local print media has strongly criticised the police for inaction.
State BJP president Chandrakant dada Patil has strongly condemned the cheating of the devotees by creating fake websites by the culprits. He told "The Organiser" that its stunning to see the level of corruption reached by these culprits, that they dont even spare the most sacred Devasthans and dont hesitate to cheat the most religious common Hindu devotees by making bogus websites to loot money. The state government should immediately apprehend the culprits and create a safe environment for devotees who are already sufurring due to pendemic, Chandrakant dada has demanded.
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