Ram temple prasad scam: ₹3.85 crore cyber fraud busted, mastermind held

Ayodhya Police crack ₹3.85 crore scam over fake Ram Lalla prasad bookings, refund ₹2.15 crore to devotees, arrest mastermind on return from US

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Ayodhya Police have busted one of the biggest cyber scams in the city’s history — an online fraud worth ₹3.85 crore, carried out in the name of Ram Lalla’s prasad, The New Indian Express reported.

 

Capitalising on the heightened spiritual sentiment following the consecration of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, the accused posed as a professor from Northeastern University in Seattle. He created a fake website that promised doorstep delivery of Ram temple prasad, duping lakhs of devotees in India and abroad.

 

The fraud was masterminded by Ashish Singh, a native of Windsor Park, Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, currently residing in the United States. He launched the portal khadiorganic.com just weeks before the grand consecration. Between December 19, 2023, and January 12, 2024, over 630,000 devotees placed orders through the site.  ALSO READ: Second Ram Darbar Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya's Ram temple

 

The fake portal offered “free delivery” of prasad, Ram temple replicas, and commemorative coins. But users were asked to pay a “facilitation fee” of ₹51 in India and $11 from overseas. Singh used digital payment gateways including Yes Bank, Paytm, PhonePe, MobiKwik, and IDFC to process transactions. In total, he collected ₹10.49 crore — ₹3.85 crore of which came from prasad orders alone.

 

The scam was flagged by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust after they noticed suspicious online activity. They alerted the Ayodhya Cyber Crime Unit, which launched an investigation. 

 

A criminal case was filed under IPC Section 420, Section 66D of the IT Act, and Section 12(3) of the Passport Act, 1967. Ashish Singh, confident he could manage the situation, returned to India on January 13 and even travelled to Ayodhya — possibly in an attempt to cover his tracks or negotiate.

 

However, he was arrested upon arrival by cybercrime sleuths and later identified as the mastermind behind the scam. Police seized a laptop, two iPhones, ₹13,970 in cash, and various identity and banking documents, including US and Indian ID cards, debit cards, a Washington driving licence, and a health card.

 

According to Ayodhya Police sources, a cyber recovery operation enabled authorities to refund ₹2.15 crore to 372,520 victims. Efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining ₹1.70 crore.

 

Calling it a scam “built on faith”, Ayodhya SSP Gaurav Grover praised the cyber cell for their swift handling of the case. “The accused exploited people’s religious sentiments. However, our team’s timely action ensured that faith wasn’t betrayed entirely,” he said. 

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  In recognition of their efforts, the cyber team received a reward of ₹15,000.

 

Meanwhile, the Ayodhya Police have urged people to stay alert while making online payments, especially those connected to religious offerings. “This case is a lesson in digital vigilance,” SSP Grover said, adding, “Faith should never come at the cost of caution.”  

  ALSO READ: 'One of best things I've ever done': Elon Musk's father visits Ram temple