Two men sold Aladdin’s lamp for $41,600, arrested

In the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, the police have arrested two men for conning a doctor into purchasing ‘the lamp of Aladdin’. The claimed that the lamp will be the source of health and prosperity to the doctor.

Act to sell the lamp

As per a media report, the con men even went to the extent of bringing spirits to the realm from the lamp to convince the doctor of its authenticity. This act aligns with the story told in The Arabian Nights fairy tale.

They demanded for a sum of over $200,000 for the lamp. The man gave the first instalment of $41,600 to which they agreed.

The police suspects that a third accused, a female, is not found yet.

The report was filed by the doctor in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.

FIR on the incident

The doctor reported that he came to know about the suspects when he started treating a woman who he thought was their mother for the past 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 quoted, as per NDTV. Following this, he eventually met the baba “who seemed to perform such rituals”.

Apparently, the doctor also reported that he saw Aladdin during one of his visits. He realised this later that it was actually one of the men dressed in the costume of the beloved character.

Multiple reports have come out following the incident, it has also been revealed that the accused even summoned a genie in the process of persuading the doctor. The police reported that the suspects may have defrauded other families in the past using deceiving ways. One suspect is still not found.

Allegedly, the accused were willing to sell the lamp with the promise of prosperity and good luck for 15,000,000 INR, but they agreed upon the first payment of 3,310,000 INR.