The Indian fraudster who allegedly sold the Taj Mahal and the Parliament House
In short: Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava, better known as Natwarlal, became a legend by swindling the wealthy with audacious forgeries. From selling national monuments to escaping prison in a stolen police uniform, his life blurred the line between criminal mastermind and folk hero, leaving behind a legacy that remains shrouded in mystery.
Born in the village of Bangra, Natwarlal leveraged his background as a station master's son and his commerce degree to master the intricacies of banking and rail freight. His criminal career began with a simple forgery of a neighbor's signature, but he soon scaled his operations to target industrialists like the Tatas and Birlas. Using over fifty aliases, he specialized in non-violent cons, often paying victims with fake cheques or demand drafts. His most famous, albeit likely mythical, exploits involved 'selling' iconic landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and the Parliament House to unsuspecting foreigners.
Natwarlal's ability to evade justice was as legendary as his crimes. Arrested nine or ten times, he frequently orchestrated daring escapes, most notably in 1957 when he walked out of Kanpur jail disguised in a police uniform, carrying a suitcase filled with nothing but newspapers. Despite facing 113 years in prison for forgery cases in Bihar alone, it is estimated he spent only 20 years behind bars. His final disappearance occurred in 1996 while being transported for medical treatment, leaving authorities unable to confirm his ultimate fate.
The truth behind Natwarlal is difficult to discern, as many of his exploits have passed into folklore. While some view him as a Robin Hood figure who shared his spoils with the poor, law enforcement officials like Arvind Jain have questioned these claims, suggesting his life was far more complex than the romanticized version. Even his death remains a point of contention: his lawyer claimed he died in 2009, while his brother insisted he had been cremated in 1996. Today, his name is synonymous with clever fraud in India, and his life continues to inspire films and cultural fascination.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Natwarlal
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