Palming

P.C Sorcar is one of India's most acclaimed magician. In an article titled Baba's a bad trickster in India Today magazine, December 04, 2000, he talks about palming and various other tricks performed by Sai Baba. Sorcar says that "palming is holding an object in such a way that the palm does not look loaded"-to help appearance/ disappearance.

Sai Baba also "materializes" rings, necklaces and watches (although most of them have been reported to be worthless by many devotees). He apparently has many local jewelers who 'supply' him with these articles.

On August 29, 1992, many top politicians and other dignitaries, gathered at a function in Hyderabad. During the celebration, Sai Baba produced a gold chain magically and presented it along with a trophy to the architect. The TV cameras clearly reveals how Baba's assistant secretly passes him the chain when he lets go of the trophy:



This footage created such a furore that it was scrapped from future broadcasts. Talk of being caught red handed! And the gall of the man to clumsily cheat under the very noses of his followers.