Saurabh Bagaria's debut novel 'Money Gone' captures a thrilling tale

Capturing the intricacies of a fictional high-profile offshore money diversion scheme shrouded in secrecy and an equally high-on-action chase by Indian tax authorities, 'Money Gone', is a thriller novel by author and advocate Saurabh Bagaria that takes readers through overseas indulgence, tense courtrooms, and even the dark web.

Bagaria, an advocate residing and practicing law in Kolkata, has combined creative writing and legal nuances to produce a work of legal fiction involving the current and relevant issues of money laundering and crypto-currency.

The book opens with an introduction to Income Tax Commissioner Rakesh Bisht, who is just two years from retirement and wants to crack a big case. Having the activities of Hardik Seth, the steel tycoon and real estate magnate of eastern India, under his scanner for a long time, Bisht and his carefully-selected team begin a challenging pursuit. As Rohan meets the enchanting Eli in London and the mysterious Mr Maduro in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), he is introduced to the business of money laundering in its newest form. Suspicions rise over the young Seth scion Rohan's overseas banking transactions.

'Money Gone' gives a literary glimpse of overseas destinations like Bangkok and BVI, and is a reader's delight when it comes to the fine legal nuances and the internal detailed working of top officials and lawyers.

In the story, authorities are daunted by evidence-gathering into the fairly new and unregulated crypto-currency and blockchain technology. As the puzzle pieces fall into place, the story unveils if Bisht, his trusted deputy Ajit Pandey, and rookie lawyer Saket Sharma are able to make a dent into the elusive crypto-currency quagmire.

"It has been fascinating to weave a thrilling story blending the elements of tax evasion, litigation and crypto-currency, which is a new and interesting concept to venture into, both as a lawyer and author. I hope to pique my readers' interests into issues like money laundering, blockchain technology and crypto-currency, through the format of fiction. I also hope readers enjoy reading the book as much as I have enjoyed writing it," says Saurabh Bagaria.

'Money Gone' is published by AuthorsUpfront and is available online and in select offline bookstores.