'Aladdin lamp' brings Arabian nightmare for Meerut doctor, costs him crores

MEERUT: He took 'Arabian Night' for real. His faith, however, conjured up a real nightmare. A doctor in Meerut was allegedly duped by two con men who convinced him that they do possess a magical lamp -- like Aladdin's -- which fulfills all wishes. In a desperate bid to buy it, Laik Ahmed Khan, a BAMS doctor, claims to have paid Rs 2.6 crore to Ikramuddin and Anees.

Both were arrested after Khan filed an FIR when he realised that he had been taken for a ride. An artificial lamp -- a rusty replica of the mythical one, a wooden slipper (khadau), a stone (used to rub on the lamp) and Rs 20k in cash was recovered from their possession.

Khan told police that he paid in several installments to the two - first to get his wishes fulfilled and then as payment to buy the magical lamp. But they evaded selling it to him.


"Ikramuddin told me that he has a magical lamp made of gold and weighs around 5kg and Ginie resides in it. He told me it costs Rs 1.75 crore but is willing to give me Rs 70 lakh. He said the lamp is magical and all my wishes will come true but I have to keep it locked in a box for two years or else some untoward incident will happen with my family," Khan said in his complaint.

Police have begun a probe in the case and claim the extent of the fraud could be ascertained only after going through their bank details and other transactions but claim it could easily run in crores.

As per investigators, the duo had conned several customers with their tricks. The modus operandi would majorly involve convincing the victims that the lamp is magical and djinn in it would fulfill all wishes.

"They would entice the gullible customer by promising exponential returns on their money. To win their trust, they would initially return money as promised only to ensure the victim returns with a bigger sum," Subhash Atri, station house officer at Brahmapuri police station said.

Once in their trap, the accused would also scare their victims of bad things happening to them or their loved ones if they don't submit to the monetary demand.