ED recovers Rs 17.10 crore cash from Kolkata businessman's properties

Kolkata, Sep 10: The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday recovered Rs 17.10 crore in cash at six premises linked to a Kolkata-based businessman.

Several pictures of seized bundles of money and officials carrying currency counting machines to the premises during the raids appeared online.

The central agency carried out the operations under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at half-a-dozen locations of the gaming app named 'E-Nuggets' and its promoter identified as Aamir Khan and others, the statement from the ED said.

An FIR was filed against the company and its promoters in February 2021 at the Park Street Police Station after a complaint filed by the Federal Bank authorities before a court in Kolkata, the ED said.

The app allegedly defrauded the public. "During the initial period, the users were rewarded with a commission and the balance in the wallet could be withdrawn hassle-free. This provided initial confidence among users, and they started investing bigger amounts for a greater percentage of commission and a greater number of purchase orders," it said.

After collecting big amount from the public, the app stops functioning citing one or the other reason. Later, the all data disappears.

The agency is now investigating the case to find out whether the promoters had any link with "Chinese controlled" apps which give loans at exorbitant interest rates to gullible persons and harass them if they fail to pay the dues on time.

The incident reminds people of ED raids on former West Bengal minister ED Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and his associate in connection with alleged recruitment scam in state-run schools in July.