Pune/Nigdi police and Maharashtra's Economic Offences Wing arrested a director of a forensic‑audit firm accused of diverting about ₹30 crore (≈$3.6M) in cryptocurrency seized in the long‑running 2018 GainBitcoin probe. Authorities allege the auditor transferred assets from seized hardware wallets to private exchanges and personal accounts.

Authorities in Maharashtra expanded the long‑running GainBitcoin investigation with the Jan. 18 arrest of a forensic‑audit firm director accused of illicitly diverting roughly ₹30 crore in cryptocurrency that had been seized as part of the 2018 probe. Police allege the auditor exploited access to seized hardware wallets and investigative custody procedures to move assets to private exchanges and personal wallets, effectively converting evidence into fungible holdings outside official channels. Investigators from Pune/Nigdi police and the Economic Offences Wing say the alleged transfers occurred over time and may implicate additional intermediaries, exchange accounts and possibly other professionals who serviced seized digital assets. The arrest highlights weaknesses in evidence handling protocols for crypto assets and raises questions about custody controls, audit independence, and oversight during lengthy investigations. Officials indicated the case remains active, with further forensic transfers, exchange records and chain‑of‑custody documentation being examined to quantify losses, identify beneficiaries, and determine whether systemic reform is required to prevent future misappropriation of seized cryptocurrencies.