Karwar: In a significant breakthrough, Murudeshwar police in Uttara Kannada district have arrested a person accused of working a pretend on-line lottery rip-off utilizing the identify of the well-known Murudeshwar Temple and dishonest unsuspecting individuals of lakhs of rupees.
The accused has been recognized as Narasingh Venkatrao Tagarbide (32), a resident of Alibaingaon village in Bhalki taluk of Bidar district. Police stated he was employed at a resort and allegedly operated the fraud via social media.
Pretend FB, Instagram accounts created
Based on investigators, the accused created pretend Fb and Instagram accounts within the identify of the Murudeshwar Temple chairman and used pictures of the temple to make the pages seem genuine. He circulated engaging “Fortunate Draw” commercials claiming that folks may win costly prizes, together with vehicles, JCB machines and bikes, by paying simply ₹299.
Believing the gives to be real, a number of members of the general public transferred cash on-line and had been allegedly cheated.
The fraud got here to mild after Manjunath Madan Shetty (73), supervisor of the Murudeshwar Temple administration, lodged a criticism. Based mostly on the criticism, Murudeshwar police registered a case on August 6, 2025.
Following instructions from senior officers, a particular police staff launched an in depth investigation. Police tracked the accused for practically a 12 months, accumulating technical proof and conducting inquiries in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bidar earlier than lastly arresting him on July 16, 2026.
The accused was produced earlier than a court docket, which remanded him to judicial custody.
