Sola resident cheated of Rs 83k while booking room at Somnath

Ahmedabad: A 58-year-old resident of the Sola area in Ahmedabad lodged a complaint with Bodakdev police on Thursday, alleging that cyber criminals defrauded him of Rs 83,000 while he attempted to book accommodation at the guest house of Somnath temple in Gir-Somnath district.
In his FIR, Paresh Patel, who resides at Gokul Bungalows Society on Science City Road, stated that he planned a family pilgrimage to Somnath temple and on Nov 24, 2024, he searched online for accommodation within the temple premises and encountered a website with contact details.
Upon reaching out to the contact number provided on the website, Patel received various room tariffs via WhatsApp. After examining the rates, he decided to make a booking for his family. The fraudster, claiming to be a Somnath Temple Trust employee, initially requested Rs 5,000 as an advance payment, which Patel transferred. The imposter then continued to solicit additional payments under various pretexts.
Patel transferred Rs 83,000 in total through multiple UPI transfers. He grew suspicious when the fraudster demanded more funds. When Patel requested his money back, he received evasive responses before the fraudster ceased communication entirely.
After losing contact with the fraudster, Patel verified the authentic Somnath Temple Trust website and learned that he was duped. He contacted the Cybercrime helpline, and after two months, Bodakdev police registered a case against an unidentified person under the BNS Act and Information Technology Act for cheating and breach of trust.