Maharashtra Bitcoin Scam: BJP Spokesman Sambit Patra Alleges Gross Involvement of Politicians
As the state election in Maharashtra nears, a fresh controversy surrounding Bitcoins has emerged which is likely to bring out more exposures and mud-slinging with BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claiming that several top politicians including NCP's Supriya Sule and Congress' Nana Patole were involved in illegal transactions related to Bitcoin.
Patra, addressing the media, said the Bitcoin scam had involved multiple layers of deception involving political leaders, police officers, and cyber experts. The main accused in the Bitcoin fraud was Ravindra Nath Patil, an ex-IPS officer who had switched to becoming a cyber expert at KPMG, he said. Patil was also accused of being connected with a disappeared bitcoin wallet in 2018, only to be later found with millions' worth in Bitcoins. In 2022, however, it was the arrest of two IPS officers-Amitabh Gupta and Bhagyeshri-apart from Patil, that unveiled a much deeper conspiracy. According to reports, Gupta and Bhagyeshri had allegedly confiscated the wallet and left behind a fake version.
The interesting twist to the case came in the form of evidence from a cyber expert, Gaurav Mehta, who claimed that the accused police officers and other politicians were somehow connected. According to his testimony, Supriya Sule and Nana Patole were on the hit list, being involved in the illicit use of these funds, which could even be used to fuel electoral campaigns. The controversy has gained steam with Patra's claim that a voice recording had emerged where Supriya Sule was talking about transferring funds from Dubai.
Supriya Sule, in response to the allegations, denied being the voice in the audio clip. She has placed a cybercrime complaint demanding an investigation into the matter. NCP's Sharad Pawar defended his party's leadership and termed the allegations as a political gimmick by the BJP.
The serious questions surrounding the obvious abuse of cryptocurrency for political influence through Bitcoin fraud allegations are really unending. As Maharashtra approaches close to elections, this controversy is likely to hover in the state's political debate, as both parties toughen their belts for a scorched earth electoral battle. There are ongoing investigations, and the revelations from this scandal may well have electoral implications on the political careers of those involved.