The Enforcement Directorate on Friday has frozen 150.22 Bitcoins worth Rs. 22.82 crore following searches on wallet/user IDs in Binance Crypto Exchange. The search was conducted in respect to a probe relating to the mobile gaming application, namely E-nuggets.
Following a complaint from the Federal Bank, the Kolkata Police registered the case, which is a part of an investigation that has been going on for months.
Aamir Khan and his accused accomplice became the subject of a complaint after it was claimed that they created the gaming application with the sole intention of defrauding customers of their money.
Users were first compensated with a commission and had easy access to their wallet balance. However, the withdrawal from the aforementioned App unexpectedly came to a stop on various pretexts after receiving a sizeable payment from the general public.
Shortly after, all data, including profile information, was deleted from the app servers.
Furthermore, the investigators were able to seize cash worth Rs 17.3 Crore and other incriminating papers after the ED conducted search operations at two locations connected to the gambling app earlier in October. More than 300 user accounts and IDs were reportedly used to transfer funds, according to a report.
"It was discovered that one such dummy account was formed on the
WazirX in the name of Sima Naskar of Pixal Design, and was utilised to acquire the cryptocurrency/crypto assets," ED said.
Thereafter the said cryptocurrencies were further transferred to another account in Crypto Exchange namely
“Binance”.
Investigations conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) have so far led to the freezing or seizure of a total of Rs 68.42 crore. Further investigation is under progress.
