ED seizes Rs 1.65-cr cash, recovers 44.5 bitcoin from 2 premises in Kolkata
Oct 20, 2022
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 20 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized Rs 1.65 crore in cash and recovered 44.5 bitcoin (equivalent to Rs 7.12 crore as per market exchange rate) on two premises in Kolkata, pertaining to the case of a mobile gaming application -- E-Nuggets.
The agency said it also found other incriminating documents under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in respect to an investigation being conducted relating to the application.
Aamir Khan had launched a mobile gaming application namely E-Nuggets, which was designed for the purpose of defrauding public, the agency said. Further, after collecting amount from the public, all of the sudden, the withdrawal from the said App was stopped, on one pretext or the other. The agency also said thereafter, all data including profile information was wiped off from the said app servers. It was revealed that multiple accounts (more than 300) were used to launder the money.
Earlier during search operation conducted against Aamir Khan, cash amount of Rs17.32 crore was found and seized from the residential premises and 85.91870554 bitcoins (equivalent to USD 16,74,255.7 and equivalent to about Rs 13.56 crore as per market exchange rate) was found in balance in Binance Exchange was uncovered. Crypto currencies WRX (utility token of WazirX) and USDT (Tether, an Ethereum token that is pegged to the value of a US dollar) equivalent to Rs 47.64 Lakhs was also uncovered in WazirX accounts. An amount of Rs 5.47 crore was found in the bank account of Aamir Khan and his accomplice.
A case was registered on the basis of FIR dated February 15, 2021, filed under various sections of IPC by Park Street Police Station, Kolkata Police, against Aamir Khan & others, based on the complaint filed by Federal Bank authorities, in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Calcutta.
During these investigations conducted under PMLA so far, an amount of Rs 51.16 crore has been seized/uncovered in the case. Further investigation is under progress.
