Story of No. 1 conman of India who sold Taj Mahal Legend of Mithilesh Srivastava
Story of No. 1 conman of India who sold Taj Mahal Legend of Mithilesh Srivastava
Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava, better known as Natwarlal, is widely regarded as one of India's most legendary con artists (or "conman").
His life is filled with audacious frauds, masterful forgeries, daring prison escapes, and a mysterious ending that keeps the legend alive.
Here's a compiled timeline of key events and interesting facts based on historical accounts, news reports, and biographies
Early Life & Entry into Crime (1912–1930s)Born in 1912 in Bangra (or Bangar) village, Siwan district, Bihar, to a railway station master father.
Showed early talent for forgery reportedly replicated signatures perfectly as a young man.
First major con (around 1937): Forged a neighbor's (Mr. Sahay) signature to withdraw ₹1,000 from his bank account (a huge sum then).
Fled to Calcutta (now Kolkata) when discovered.
Enrolled in Calcutta University using fake certificates; worked as a stockbroker and tutor.
Early scam:
Duped businessman Seth Keshav Ram of ₹4.5 lakh by posing as a qualified private tutor with forged testimonials.
Transitioned from small forgeries to larger frauds, including fake cheques, demand drafts, and railway receipt scams (e.g., selling fictitious goods like sugar replaced with sand/bricks).
Peak Criminal Career
(1940s–1980s)Adopted the alias Natwarlal (and over 50 others) to operate across India.
Master forger:
Replicated signatures of high-profile figures like President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani, and leaders from Tata, Birla groups.
Most infamous scams:
Posed as government officials to "sell" national monuments to gullible (often foreign) buyers:
Taj Mahal — allegedly sold three times (1960s–1970s; proceeds reportedly ₹2–20 lakh each time).
Red Fort — sold twice.
Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament House (with its 545 MPs) — sold at least once each.
If you calculate the value of the monuments he “sold,” it would be worth ₹129 billion ($1.4 billion) today!
Duped banks (e.g., Punjab National Bank in 1953 for ₹6.5 lakh via bogus export deals), jewelers, shop owners, businessmen, and politicians.
Non-violent style: Relied on charm, confidence tricks, forged documents, and impersonation.
Robin Hood reputation: Reportedly shared some loot with the poor in his village, earning folk-hero status among some.
Arrests, Sentences & Escapes (Throughout career)Faced over 100 cases across 8 states (including 14 forgery cases in Bihar alone).
Cumulative prison sentences: 113 years.
Served only about 20 years total due to escapes.
Escaped custody at least 9–10 times (some sources say more):Famous ones: Stole a sub-inspector's uniform in 1957 and walked out; bribed guards; faked illness; one escape involved a fake fire or exploding bribe box.
Last escape (June 24, 1996): At age 84, vanished from a wheelchair at New Delhi Railway Station while being transported from Kanpur jail to AIIMS hospital under police escort. Never recaptured.
Later Years & Mysterious Death (1990s–2009)Active until mid-1990s.
Brother claimed he died and was buried in 1996 (after final escape).
Lawyer insisted he lived until July 25, 2009 (age 97), leaving a will dated 2004.
Death remains disputed — fitting for a man who "fooled everyone even in death."
A statue was erected in his village Bangra in his honor.
His name became synonymous with clever deception in India ("bilkul Natwarlal nikla!").
A true master of illusion no guns, just brains and boldness
भारत के नंबर 1 ठग की कहानी जिसने ताजमहल बेचा, मिथिलेश श्रीवास्तव की दास्तान
