The Economic Offence Wing (EoW) unearthed around 23 acre agriculture land in Nagpur district bought by cryptocurrency scamster Nishedh Wasnik. The investigators are suspecting that the money of gullible investors was diverted in the land by Wasnik, police officials said. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Akshay Shinde said that the property details were with the police and further action would be initiated soon. The property was purchased by Wasnik in the name of his father and brother-in-law in recent years, he said. The police are also busy in the valuation of five cars that were seized from Wasnik. Police are also searching for cryptocurrency accounts of Wasnik. He reportedly told the police that the money laundered through the scam was in possession of Rajendra Khobragade. However, Khobragde denied Wasnik’s claim.

 

The police are now searching for Khobragade’s daughter as she was handling financial transactions of the bogus company. She went absconding after her anticipatory bail was rejected by the High Court, a police official said. Nibandi Wasnik, his father Mahadevrao Wasnik, wife Pragati Wasnik, Sandesh Panjabrao Lanjewar, Gajanan Bholenath Mungne, Lalit Sanjay Naik, Deepak Tulsiram Naik, Sachin Roopchand Wasnik, Ramu alias Sonu Hiraman Vanve, Diksha Sandesh Lanjewar, Rajendra Khobragade and Kalpana Gajanan Mungne were arrested by the police in the case. The scamsters were absconding since last year after a case was registered against them under Sections 120 (b), 406, 409, 420 of the Indian Penal Code, read with Sections 3 and 4 of Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors Act and 66(d) of the Information Technology Act, against them at Yashodhara Nagar Police Station. They were arrested from a rented bungalow at Street Valley, Pangoli, near Lonavala in District Pune and seized a pistol, seven live rounds, five luxury cars, cash, eight cellphone and a laptop collectively worth Rs 1,13,91,210/- from them. 

 

MCOCA to be invoked against the accused The police are prepared to invoke Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the scamsters. Along with offences registered at Yashodhara Nagar Police Station, a murder case was also registered against Wasnik and his accomplices by Washim Police. Similarly, brother of Wasnik was accused in three murder cases. Police have sufficient material to invoke MCOCA against them.