Indian conman faces trial in Britain for fraud, blackmailing

An Indian man, posing as a spiritual healer in Britain, is facing trial for blackmail and high-value fraud in the country, a media report said.

Mohammed Ashrafi, 49, who called himself Kamal-Ji, went missing from Leicester in England's East Midlands, earlier this year and has been accused of defrauding a woman of 10,000 pounds ($16,764) through a healing and astrology service advertised in the city and to have obtained 50,000 pounds ($83,820) through blackmail, Leicester Mercury reported Saturday.

Ashrafi appeared at the Leicester Magistrates' Court Saturday charged with one count of blackmail, and one charge of fraud by false representation for "facilitating a 60 million-pound Euro lottery win" between Jan 1 and Feb 28 this year.

The court ordered Ashrafi to be remanded into custody.

Ashrafi, from Milton Keynes town in South East England, has been staying in Britain on a six-month working visa.

Ashrafi would appear at the Leicester Crown Court later this month.

Earlier this month, the Leicestershire police warned public in the predominantly Indian-dominated city of Leicester against the conman who goes by the name Kamal-Ji and claims to be a devotee of Sai Baba.

Police said the spiritual healer advertised through leaflets his ability to help people with problems such as poor health and failure in business and relationships.