11/1/2020 Indian doctor duped into buying 'Aladdin's lamp' for $41,600 - BBC News

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Indian doctor duped into buying 'Aladdin's

lamp' for $41,600
1 day ago

UTTAR PRADESH POLICE

The lamp is now in the hands of the police

Two men have been arrested in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh for
allegedly duping a doctor into buying an "Aladdin's lamp" that they
promised would bring him wealth and health.

As part of the con, they even pretended to conjure up spirits from the lamp, in
line with the tale from The Arabian Nights, Indian media report.

The men had reportedly wanted more than $200,000 for the lamp but settled
for a down payment of $41,600.

A third, female, suspect is at large.

The doctor reportedly filed a complaint with local police in Meerut, western
Uttar Pradesh, earlier this week.
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11/1/2020 Indian doctor duped into buying 'Aladdin's lamp' for $41,600 - BBC News

In the complaint, quoted by NDTV, he said he met the two men when he
began treating a woman he understood to be their mother over the course of a
month.

"Gradually they started telling me about a baba (godman) whom they claimed
also visited their home. They started brainwashing me and asked me to meet
this baba," he says, according to NDTV. He then did meet the baba "who
seemed to perform such rituals".

He also reportedly said that "during one visit 'Aladdin' actually made an
appearance in front of me" and it was only later that he realised one of the
accused had been dressing up as the iconic figure.

Other reports in Indian media suggest that the suspects pretended to conjure
up a genie, to convince the doctor of the lamp's authenticity.

The men eventually offered him the lamp, promising it "would bring wealth,
health and good fortune", for 15,000,000 Indian rupees ($201,200) but settled
for a down payment of 33,10000 rupees ($41,584).

A senior Meerut police officer, Amit Rai, told NDTV that the same men were
suspected of cheating other families in similar ways. "Two have been arrested.
A woman is on the run," he said.

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