Karwar: In a major breakthrough, Murudeshwar police in Uttara Kannada district have arrested a man accused of running a fake online lottery scam using the name of the famous Murudeshwar Temple and cheating unsuspecting people of lakhs of rupees.
The accused has been identified as Narasingh Venkatrao Tagarbide (32), a resident of Alibaingaon village in Bhalki taluk of Bidar district. Police said he was employed at a hotel and allegedly operated the fraud through social media.
Fake FB, Instagram accounts created
According to investigators, the accused created fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in the name of the Murudeshwar Temple chairman and used photographs of the temple to make the pages appear authentic. He circulated attractive “Lucky Draw” advertisements claiming that people could win expensive prizes, including cars, JCB machines and motorcycles, by paying just ₹299.
Believing the offers to be genuine, several members of the public transferred money online and were allegedly cheated.
The fraud came to light after Manjunath Madan Shetty (73), manager of the Murudeshwar Temple administration, lodged a complaint. Based on the complaint, Murudeshwar police registered a case on August 6, 2025.
Following directions from senior officers, a special police team launched an extensive investigation. Police tracked the accused for nearly a year, collecting technical evidence and conducting inquiries in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bidar before finally arresting him on July 16, 2026.
The accused was produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
