Probe on into online pooja fraud

Website offering prominent temples’ services under scanner

The cyber cell of the city police has started a comprehensive investigation to track the operators behind a private portal which illegally accepted online payments in the name of conducting pooja in various prominent temples under the Malabar and Cochin Devaswom Boards in Kerala. The incident came to light when the administrators of the Malabar Devaswom Board approached the police seeking action against the website, which reportedly displayed the names of many prominent temples to attract the faithful. “The incident has been taken up very seriously by the cyber cell as similar complaints have already been confirmed by prominent temples in other parts of the State,” said A.N. Neelakandan, Commissioner and Secretary of the Malabar Devaswom Board. He said the website was engaged in online fund collection after listing out some of the major temples without any official authorisation.