Bhubaneswar, Nov 10: In a major operation aimed at protecting religious sanctity, Puri Cyber Police have arrested a Bhubaneswar-based businessman for illegally selling Mahaprasad, the sacred offering of Lord Jagannath, through an online platform. 

The accused, identified as Dispoza Pattnaik, a real estate developer, was allegedly operating a website named shreeprasad.org, which falsely claimed to provide Mahaprasad sourced directly from the Srimandir Rosaghara in Puri.

According to police, the website used images of the Shree Jagannath Temple and the holy offerings to mislead unsuspecting devotees, assuring them doorstep delivery of Mahaprasad. The scam came to light after Hemant Kumar Padhi, OSD Security of the temple, detected the suspicious website and filed a complaint with the cyber police station. The site, which operated using mobile number 9658824596, raised serious concerns regarding the authenticity of the offerings, prompting immediate action.

During investigation, police traced the phone number to Pattnaik and arrested him from Bhubaneswar. Officers stated that such unauthorized online sales not only violate temple rules but also hurt the religious sentiments of millions of devotees.

Puri SP Prateek Singh issued a strong warning, stating that strict action would be taken against anyone engaging in activities that compromise the sanctity and credibility of Srimandir’s traditions and offerings.

Powered by Froala Editor