Sobhraj-inspired ‘five-star conman’, who checked into 300 luxury hotels & disappeared, held

RAIPUR: For over three decades, his address kept changing between luxury hotels and prison cells.Police say 69-year-old Bingson John, arrested for allegedly fleeing a five-star hotel in Raipur without paying his bill and stealing a rented laptop, has spent the last 36 years perfecting an unusual lifestyle — checking into some of the country’s most expensive hotels under false identities, enjoying the hospitality for days, and disappearing before checkout.The Tamil Nadu native was arrested from Bhubaneswar within 72 hours after he allegedly walked out of a luxury hotel in Raipur on June 27, leaving behind an unpaid bill of Rs 63,755 and taking away a rented laptop worth Rs 1.48 lakh.Investigators claim John’s confession revealed an extraordinary trail of deception stretching across more than 10 states. He was quoted by police as having targeted nearly 300 hotels since 1990 and considered notorious serial killer and conman Charles Sobhraj his inspiration.According to police, John after checking in, would introduce himself as a foreign tour guide, an English teacher or a yoga instructor, blending into the upscale surroundings while enjoying complimentary hospitality.In Raipur, police said he stayed at the hotel for two days before requesting a laptop from the staff, claiming he urgently needed to finish office work. Moments after receiving the device, he allegedly slipped out without completing the checkout formalities.

The hotel’s complaint led the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit and Telibandha police to analyse the documents and mobile numbers submitted during check-in. Technical surveillance traced him to Bhubaneswar, where he was arrested and the laptop recovered.Police said John’s criminal journey began after a personal tragedy. During questioning, he allegedly claimed he abandoned plans to marry after the death of his fiancée in the early 1990s and drifted into fraud.

His first arrest came in 1996, when he was sent to Tihar Jail. Since then, he has spent nearly 15 years behind bars in prisons across the country.Investigators said John showed no hesitation during interrogation and readily admitted to the offences. He allegedly described jails as his “home stay” and luxury hotels as his “tourist destinations”, telling officers that he preferred food served either in five-star hotels or in prison.Police are now verifying his claim of having duped hundreds of hotels across India and are collecting records of cases registered against him in different states. He has been booked under relevant provisions of the BNS and remanded to judicial custody.