Bhubaneswar: His life could have been a crime thriller. For 36 years, Bingson John, a 69-year-old man from Tamil Nadu, allegedly duped over 300 luxury hotels across India, slipping in and out of five-star lobbies with the finesse of a seasoned imposter.
When police finally caught him in Bhubaneswar, he reportedly confessed that his "inspiration" was none other than the infamous Charles Sobhraj, the master of deception.
John's latest act unfolded at Hyatt Hotel, Raipur, in Chhattisgarh, where he checked in on June 25 posing as a foreign tour guide. Two days later, he vanished leaving behind an unpaid bill of Rs 63,755 and a missing laptop worth Rs 1.48 lakh.
A joint probe by the Telibandha Police and Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit traced him through digital footprints and arrested him in Bhubaneswar with teh help of Odisha Police. Investigators say John often posed as an English teacher or yoga instructor, charming hotel staff before disappearing without paying.
Police claim he has spent 15 years in various prisons, including Tihar Jail, and faces cases in over 10 states. The stolen laptop has been recovered, but his story, part con, part obsession, reads like a real-life sequel to Sobhraj's legend.