Published On : Thu, Mar 10th, 2022
By Nagpur Today Nagpur News

Crypto scam: Nagpur cops to invoke MCOCA against scamsters

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Nagpur: THE police are prepared to invoke Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the crypto currency scamster Nishedh Wasnik and other accused including NibandiWasnik, his father Mahadevrao Wasnik, wife Pragati Wasnik, Sandesh Panjabrao Lanjewar, Gajanan Bholenath Mungne, Lalit Sanjay Naik, Deepak Tulsiram Naik, Sachin RoopchandWasnik, Ramu alias Sonu Hiraman Vanve, Diksha Sandesh Lanjewar, Rajendra Khobragade and Kalpana Gajanan Mungne.All these accused were arrested by the Economic Offence Wing (EoW ) of Nagpur police.

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.

EoW unearths 23 acre land of scamsters:
The Economic Offence Wing (EoW ) unearthed around 23 acre agriculture land in Nagpur district bought by scamster Nishedh Wasnik. The investigators are suspecting that the money of gullible investors was diverted to purchase the land by Wasnik.

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According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Akshay Shinde, 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 crypto currency accounts of Wasnik. He reportedly told the police that the money laundered through the scam was in the 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.

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 a pistol, seven live rounds, five luxury cars, cash, eight cell phones and a laptop collectively worth Rs 1.13 crore were seized from them.