The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday recovered over Rs 17 crore in cash in raids at promoters of Kolkata-based E-Nuggets mobile gaming app in connection with a money laundering probe.
The agency released a photo showing massive hordes of cash in Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 200 currency notes. Currency counting machines had to be brought in to calculate the total money stacked in budles of cash.
ED searched 6 locations of ‘E-Nuggets’ mobile gaming app and its promoters, one Amir Khan and others, it said in a statement.
The mobile gaming app launched by Aamir Khan was designed to defraud the public, the ED alleged.
A February 2021 FIR filed by Kolkata Police against the app and its promoters led to the money laundering probe. The FIR was filed based on a complaint filed by authorities of the Federal Bank before a Kolkata court.
The ED said that the app rewarded users with a commission during the initial period and they were able to withdraw their balance from the app wallet easily. Once the app gained the confidence of users, they would invest large sums for a bigger commission percentage and more purchase orders.
The app withdrawal service was stopped all of a sudden under different pretexts like system upgradation or ongoing law enforcement agency probe once a “handsome amount” was collected from the victims.
The data, including users’ profile details, were erased from app servers later. The probe is also looking at whether the alleged fraud gaming app was linked to other “Chinese controlled” apps in the ongoing loan fraud probe.
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(With inputs from agencies)
