Origins & Early Life

Natwarlal (born Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava; 1912 — 25 July 2009) was an Indian fraudster known for his high-profile crimes and prison escapes, including having supposedly "sold" the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the Parliament House of India on multiple occasions. If valued today, these properties would be worth approximately ₹129 billion ($1.4 billion) in total. Natwarlal was born Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava in the village of Bangra in the Siwan district of Bihar. He was the older of two brothers.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His father was a station master. Natwarlal first discovered his ability to forge after a neighbour sent him to deposit his bank drafts. Realising he could easily forge his neighbour's signature, he managed to withdraw 1,000 rupees from his neighbour's account before he noticed. Fleeing to Calcutta, Natwarlal enrolled as a student for a bachelor of commerce degree while working as a casual stock broker. He also tried to set up a cloth business, but failed.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His house in Bangra is said to have been demolished by the British, though the land still belongs to his family. As Natwarlal's father was a station master, he knew information about the...

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