Kolkata app fraud: ED seizes Bitcoin worth Rs 12.83 crore

KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing mobile gaming app E-Nuggets in a fraud case on Wednesday seized Bitcoin worth Rs 12.73 crore owned by Amir Khan, the prime accused arrested in the matter.

The development came just hours after Kolkata Police confiscated Rs 14.53 crore from a cryptocurrency wallet of Amir Khan. However, the Bitcoin worth Rs 12.73 crore seized by the ED was not directly held by Khan, who instead used the cryptocurrency wallet of a local businessman to maintain the reserve against a commission.

Earlier on September 10, the ED had seized Rs 17.32 crore in cash from the residence of Amir Khan's father, Naser Khan, in the Garden Reach area of Kolkata.

Following the fresh seizure of Bitcoin, the total seizure in the E-Nuggets scam has reached Rs 44.68 crore.

Amir Khan, who was arrested by the Kolkata Police from Ghaziabad on September 24, is currently in custody of the city police. He will be next produced before a lower court on October 8.

Amir Khan had launched the mobile gaming application named E-Nuggets, which was designed for the purpose of defrauding the public.

During the initial period, the users were rewarded with commission, and the balance in the wallet could be withdrawn in a hassle-free manner, which provided confidence to the users, who started investing bigger amounts for greater percentage of commission and a greater number of purchase orders.

After collecting handsome amounts from the public, all of a sudden withdrawal from the said app was stopped on one pretext or the other. Thereafter, all data, including profile information, was wiped out from the said app server.