BENGALURU : The Congress government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to reinvestigate the bitcoin scam that surfaced during the previous BJP regime. Additional director general of police Manish Kharbikar will head the SIT.
“We promised the people of Karnataka that if we form the government, we will have the bitcoin scam rein. vestigated. We have decided to hand over the investigation to SIT,” home minister G Parameshwara said.
The scam surfaced in 2021. Congress, which was in the opposition then, had accused the government of covering up the scandal since big names were involved. Prime suspect, Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, was accused of hacking the government’s e-procurement website and syphoning off over Rs 11. 5 crore. Sriki, 26, had allegedly told police that he had twice hacked the Bitfinex exchange during his stay in the Netherlands. There werealso allegations of cryptocurrency theft, drug peddling, and cyber fraud.
Parameshwara said Kharbikar has been asked to get help from technical experts since the matter relates to cybercrime. On assistance from central agencies, Parameshwara said he has advised the SIT to take the help of whoever it needs. “If there is a separate order required to that effect, we will issue it. They will know what they require only when they begin their investigation. We want this investigated thoroughly. Lots of lapses have happened. The SIT must cover all aspects. ”
On the possibility of forming special courts to prosecute bitcoin cases, he said the government would do whatever is required on the legal front.
Reacting to the decision, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai of BJP said the party welcomes the move. Former deputy CM CN Ashwath Narayan said, “Why scandals in only our tenure? Scandals during the tenure of the previous Congress regime (2013– 2018) should also be investigated by SIT. ”
“We promised the people of Karnataka that if we form the government, we will have the bitcoin scam rein. vestigated. We have decided to hand over the investigation to SIT,” home minister G Parameshwara said.
The scam surfaced in 2021. Congress, which was in the opposition then, had accused the government of covering up the scandal since big names were involved. Prime suspect, Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, was accused of hacking the government’s e-procurement website and syphoning off over Rs 11. 5 crore. Sriki, 26, had allegedly told police that he had twice hacked the Bitfinex exchange during his stay in the Netherlands. There werealso allegations of cryptocurrency theft, drug peddling, and cyber fraud.
Parameshwara said Kharbikar has been asked to get help from technical experts since the matter relates to cybercrime. On assistance from central agencies, Parameshwara said he has advised the SIT to take the help of whoever it needs. “If there is a separate order required to that effect, we will issue it. They will know what they require only when they begin their investigation. We want this investigated thoroughly. Lots of lapses have happened. The SIT must cover all aspects. ”
On the possibility of forming special courts to prosecute bitcoin cases, he said the government would do whatever is required on the legal front.
Reacting to the decision, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai of BJP said the party welcomes the move. Former deputy CM CN Ashwath Narayan said, “Why scandals in only our tenure? Scandals during the tenure of the previous Congress regime (2013– 2018) should also be investigated by SIT. ”
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