Congress MLA and former Minister for Information and Technology Priyank Kharge, who had claimed that the bitcoin scam would cost Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai his job, on Friday sought an explanation from the Government for the delay in handing over the case to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The Chief Minister had said that the case was referred to the ED and the CBI (Interpol Division) in March and April earlier this year, respectively. At a press conference, Mr. Kharge pointed out the case was referred to the ED only after the agency sought details of it.
“There was intentional delay of three months on the part of the State Government in informing the ED and Interpol in spite of the voluntary statement of the accused that he had hacked more than 5,000 bitcoins and was in possession of them,” he alleged. A statutory Government Order states that all cases related to economic offences falling outside the jurisdiction of the State should be informed to higher authorities, the Congress MLA said. The former Minister alleged that the investigation into the case seemed more aimed at “burying the truth than uncovering it”.
Father’s claims
He also raised the issue of petitions filed by Gopal Ramesh, father of the accused hacker Sri Krishna, alleging the hacker was forcefully administered an anxiety drug, Alprazolam, and the police carried out a “stomach wash” before a medical test ordered by the court. “Why was the accused drugged in custody?” he questioned.
Mr. Kharge also raised questions on the claim by the city police that they had “recovered 31.8 bitcoins worth ₹9 crore from the hacker” which they later claimed was not the case. After the first panchanama that “seized 31.8 bitcoins”, a second panchanama to transfer them was carried out and the police discovered 186.8 bitcoins in the same wallet. “Where are these bitcoins that are worth over ₹100 crore? Who received them and what measures have been taken to recover them?” asked Mr. Kharge.
He also alleged that the chargesheet filed in the case was “incomplete”. Several claims made in the voluntary statement of the accused have not been investigated. In the statement the accused had “confessed to an economic crime of transferring 80,000 Euros” but it is neither investigated nor reported to the ED. He also questioned why the agency failed to recover any bitcoins.
‘Diversionary tactic’
Responding to allegations by the BJP of involvement of Congress leaders, the former Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday said the party was misleading the public by “selective quoting”.
“The statement by the accused says in one para that he had partied with Mohammed Nalapad. Apart from that there has been no mention anywhere related to the accused’s crimes. Moreover, if Congress leaders are involved, we are open to a fair probe. The Chief Minister, instead of making counter allegations, can bring out the truth,” he said.
‘Documents by BJP leaders’
Meanwhile, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar said Ministers and officials in the BJP Government had been providing documents related to the scam and the party would release them at an appropriate time. He further said, “It’s a public issue. Why should we not raise it? Whoever is involved in the scam, whether Congress or BJP leaders, should be punished.”
