Meerut: Two men were arrested in Meerut, UP for allegedly cheating a doctor of Rs 31 lakh by selling him “Aladdin’s magic lamp”, promising that it would bring him wealth, health and good fortune.
Later, the victim, Dr LA Khan, realised he was duped and lodged a police complaint on October 25. He described in detail how he was swindled by the accused, Ikramuddin and Anees.
According to an NDTV report, the doctor first met the accused when he began treating a woman they described as their mother.
“I started visiting their home to treat the supposed mother. The visits continued for over a month. Gradually they started telling me about a baba (godman), who they claimed also visited their home. They started brainwashing me and asked me to meet this baba,” Khan said in his complaint.
The doctor said he met the godman who seemed to perform rituals.
Eventually this group showed him a lamp and said it belonged to Aladdin. “They told me this lamp would bring wealth, health and good fortune. They offered to sell it for Rs 1,5 crore, but I could only offer Rs 31 lakh as down payment,” he said.
“During one visit, ‘Aladdin’ actually made an appearance in front of me. I did not know who this person was at that time. I later realised (one of) the accused was dressed up as ‘Aladdin’,” he added.
Based on the doctor’s complaint, police arrested the two con artists and also seized the purported magical lamp. “We have found that the same men went to other homes in the city and cheated many families in the name of ‘tantra vidya’. We have found the involvement of three people so far. Two have been arrested. A woman is on the run,” a police officer said.
