Puri, July 21: In a significant breakthrough in the Puri Neeladri Bhakta Nivas hotel booking fraud case, the Crime Branch has arrested two more accused from Rajasthan, taking the total number of arrests to three.
The newly apprehended suspects have been identified as Amir Khan (24) from the Alwar police limits and Yusuf (27) from the Kishwada area. Earlier, the Anti-Corruption team had arrested another accused, Anshuman Sharma, from Agra.
According to police sources, the accused were operating a fake website www.neeladribhaktanivas.in under the guise of the popular Puri-based hotel, Neeladri Bhakta Nivas. Using the mobile number 6375024509, they allegedly duped several devotees by offering fake bookings and collecting payments through multiple bank accounts.
The management of Neeladri Bhakta Nivas stated they had no knowledge of the fraudulent activity and filed a complaint upon learning about the scam. The Crime Branch subsequently launched an investigation, leading to the arrests.
Authorities have warned the public to remain vigilant against such fraudulent hotel booking platforms and to verify authenticity before making payments. Victims or those suspecting fraud are advised to contact the 1930 Cyber Helpline or report to the nearest police station.
