Deval Ganagapura fake website: Notices issued to accused priests to appear for questioning

‎Kalaburagi:‎‎ Police have issued notices to five priests of Shri Dattatreya temple in Deval Ganagapur in Kalaburagi district for allegedly creating the temple’s fake website for accepting donations and causing damage to the state exchequer.‎

The district cyber crime (CEN) police have issued a third notice to the accused named in the FIR to appear before the CEN police station at 10 am on July 9 and face trial.‎

This is the third such notice issued to the accused. Earlier two notices went unheeded as the accused priests failed to appear for questioning.

The temple which comes under Muzrai (Hindu religious endowment) department, reported the matter of fake websites that were accepting donations from devotees. The priests — identified as Vallabha son of Dinakara Bhat Poojary, Ankur son of Anandarawa Poojary, Pratik son of Sadashiva Poojary, Gangadhar son of Srikanta Bhat Poojary, and Sharath Bhat son of Nandubhatta — were booked based on the complaint.

It is alleged that crores of rupees have been embezzled from the devotees under the guise of donations. CEN police, who later took over the case, have been collecting information and evidence of the crime.