The Conman Who “Sold” the Taj Mahal: The Astonishing Story of Natwarlal
By : Vijesh Nair
Date : 28/12/2025
Agra, India – The Taj Mahal, one of the world’s most treasured monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has stood for centuries as a symbol of love and architectural brilliance. But did you know that this iconic monument was once “sold” — not once, but multiple times?
Behind this unbelievable story was India’s most infamous conman: Natwarlal.
Who Was Natwarlal?
Born as Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava in Bihar in 1912, Natwarlal earned notoriety as one of India’s most intelligent and audacious fraudsters. A master of disguise, fluent in several languages, and skilled in calligraphy and document forgery, Natwarlal conned politicians, businessmen, and even government departments.
But his most legendary scam involved the Taj Mahal itself.
How Did He “Sell” the Taj Mahal?
In the 1950s and 1960s, Natwarlal posed as a senior government official or a representative of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Targeting wealthy businessmen and foreign buyers, he claimed the Indian government was secretly selling parts of national monuments due to financial constraints.
Using forged documents, seals, and official letterheads, Natwarlal convincingly “sold”:
The Taj Mahal (allegedly multiple times)
The Red Fort
Rashtrapati Bhavan
Incredibly, some buyers even paid large sums of money, believing they had acquired ownership of the Taj Mahal — the pride of India.
Why Did People Believe Him?
Natwarlal’s success lay in his confidence and preparation:
He dressed impeccably like a government officer
Produced authentic-looking documents
Spoke fluent English and Hindi
Chose victims who believed in power and secrecy
At a time when verification systems were weak and bureaucracy was intimidating, many fell into his trap.
The Man Who Outsmarted the System
Natwarlal was arrested multiple times and convicted in several fraud cases involving crores of rupees. However, he became equally famous for his daring prison escapes. On one occasion, he reportedly escaped from police custody dressed as a lawyer. In another, he vanished from a hospital under police watch.
Despite being sentenced to over 100 years in jail combined, he spent very little time behind bars.
A Mysterious End
The exact details of Natwarlal’s death remain unclear. Some reports suggest he died in 1996 in Bihar, while others believe he disappeared once again, leaving behind one final mystery.
A Cautionary Tale
The story of Natwarlal is more than just an entertaining tale — it is a reminder of how confidence, deception, and weak systems can be exploited. The fact that someone could “sell” the Taj Mahal, even on paper, shows how powerful illusion can be when mixed with authority.
Today, Natwarlal’s story is studied in criminology, featured in documentaries, and remains one of the most unbelievable frauds in Indian history.
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