Chandrapur: A cryptocurrency investment scam suspected to run into crores of rupees has been unearthed in Chandrapur, with the economic offences wing (EOW) exposing a racket that allegedly duped investors across the district. Two of the alleged scamsters have been arrested. Officials have urged victims to come forward, lodge formal complaints, and submit relevant documents to aid the ongoing probe and recovery process.The case surfaced after a complaint by 27-year-old investment manager Kartik Khangar, who alleged that he and several others were enticed with promises of high returns, exclusive investor IDs, and even luxury incentives such as a Mahindra XUV300 vehicle. Acting on these claims, Khangar with some other known people invested Rs14 lakh, while many others deposited substantial sums, only to later discover the scheme was fraudulent.Police have registered an offence at Ramnagar police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act. The probe, now being led by the EOW, points to a wider network targeting unsuspecting investors across the district.Two accused — Ramesh Bhaskar (33), originally from Sneha Nagar, Parli Vaijnath in Beed district, currently residing in a rented house in Solapur, and Mangaldas Varkhade (49), from Junona near Chandrapur city —have been arrested. During interrogation, officials say, the duo admitted to orchestrating the scheme and misleading a large number of people through false assurances and fabricated investment models. The number of victims is likely to run into hundreds, indicating a deeper financial fraud.Authorities have initiated proceedings under the MPID Act to facilitate recovery of investor funds. The EOW has appealed to all affected individuals to come forward, submit claim forms, and provide valid documents to support their claims as the investigation continues.
