Bhubaneswar: The Odisha vigilance department has found 50 more cryptocurrency wallets to the tune of over Rs 25 lakh in the name of crorepati engineer Nihar Ranjan Das.
According to sources, a three-member team of crypto experts from Mumbai was roped in by the vigilance sleuths to assist them in the investigation after evidence of their involvement was found.
Earlier, the vigilance department had unearthed 38 wallets with investments of Rs 1.75 crore in cryptocurrency by Das.
“We are analysing the transactions in the wallets. While Rs 2 crore investment in cryptocurrency has so far been detected, we expect to find out more wallets. We are also analysing the data received from a UK-based crypto exchange about Das’s investments. His bank accounts are being verified,” stated a TOI report quoting a senior vigilance officer.
Das has not revealed anything to the officers regarding his alleged investments in cryptocurrencies and has maintained that he has ‘no’ knowledge about it.
The diary, where Das had mentioned most of the wallets and crypto exchanges through which he purchased the digital currency, will be sent to experts for a graphology test.
It is pertinent to mention here that Das was brought on two-day police remand from Thursday for further questioning in connection with the case.
Notably, Das, who retired as additional chief engineer (planning, monitoring, design, and investigation) in Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, Bhubaneswar circle on October 31, had reportedly thrown his mobile phone along with documents relating to investments in digital currencies when a search team arrived at his house in Bhubaneswar on October 28 which have been sent for forensic examination.
He was arrested on October 29 for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
