Bilaspur, February 3, 2026: A self-styled tantrik and his associates have been arrested by the Bilaspur police for allegedly cheating four men of ₹2.5 lakh by promising to turn it into ₹2.5 crore through occult rituals. The scam came to light after the victims, from Korea district, intercepted the tantrik on a highway and assaulted him to recover their money.
The main accused, Vijay Kumar Raj (48), a resident of Dipka in Korba district, reportedly staged a fake ritual at the residence of a local sarpanch’s husband in Sambalpur, Bilha. A video of the event shows Raj sitting before coconuts and incense sticks, after which currency notes seemingly fall from the ceiling.
Modus Operandi
Investigations revealed that Raj operated with a group including three women and Rikhiram Navrang, husband of a Congress-backed sarpanch in Bilha. While the women lured potential victims with promises of multiplying wealth, Navrang allegedly provided the venue for the staged ‘money rain’ demonstrations.
On January 30, the group called four youths from Korea district to Bilha. Convinced by the video and ritual demonstration, the men handed over ₹2.5 lakh. Shortly after the ritual, the accused reportedly fled with the cash.
Highway Assault and Robbery
The fraud turned violent early on January 31 when Raj was travelling in his car near a dhaba in Ratanpur around 3:30 am. The four victims, who had been tracking him in two vehicles, intercepted Raj, assaulted him, and fled with his car, three mobile phones, and ₹8,000 in cash.
Police Action
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajnesh Singh formed a special team to investigate the case. Using technical evidence and mobile surveillance, the police tracked the four men to Ambikapur and Korea.
The four accused were arrested on February 2, and the stolen car and cash were recovered. During interrogation, they admitted to the highway assault, claiming they acted in revenge after being duped by the tantrik, said ASP Madhulika Singh.
Police have also initiated action against Vijay Kumar Raj. A case of fraud has been registered at Bilha police station against him and his associates, with ₹1.85 lakh recovered from the fraudsters.
SSP Rajnesh Singh warned citizens to remain cautious. “Strict legal action will be taken against those promising to double money through occult practices or ‘jhadi-phook’. People must not fall prey to such greed-driven scams,” he said.
