Two men have been arrested in India for allegedly duping a Doctor into buying an “Aladdin’s lamp” for $93,000 (N35 million) and even conjured up a fake genie out of the lamp.
According to an official, the victim identified as Laeek Khan approached police in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh after he realised the lamp did not have any magical powers, as described in the popular folk tale about Aladdin and his wish-granting genie that appears when it is rubbed.
Amit Rai, a senior officer told AFP;
The cheats had struck a deal for much more but the doctor had paid about seven million rupees ($93,000).
He said the men were arrested on Thursday and were remanded in custody ahead of charges being filed.
Rai added;
The wife of one of these men was also involved in the fraud. She is on the run.
In his complaint filed last Sunday, Khan said one of the men pretended to be an occultist and made a “genie” — a supernatural figure — appear from the lamp, local media reported.
However, when Khan asked if he could touch the genie or take the lamp home, they refused, saying it might cause him harm.
Eventually, they sold the lamp to him, promising it would bring health, wealth, and good fortune.
Khan stated that he later realized the “genie” was actually just one of the men in disguise.
On his part, Rai expressed;
The men have also cheated other families using the same modus operandi. The total amount of money involved runs into several million rupees.
