Sule, Patole initiate legal action against BJP’s bitcoin fraud accusation
Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Supriya Sule and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Tuesday denied the allegations of Bitcoin misappropriation. They have initiated legal action against former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ravindranath Patil and the BJP for making the false accusations on the eve of voting for Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024. Mr. Patil accused them of misappropriating Bitcoins from a 2019 cryptocurrency fraud case and using the same to fund the ongoing Maharashtra assembly elections.
Mr. Patil on Tuesday alleged that former Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta and former deputy commissioner of police Bhagyashri Nautake, who was handling the cybercrime investigations, were involved in the misappropriation of Bitcoins at the behest of Ms. Sule and Mr. Patole. He also named one Gaurav Mehta, an employee of an audit firm. “Mehta sent me some voice notes he had received on WhatsApp. There were three audio messages from Supriya Sule where she asks for cash in exchange for bitcoins. She also says that he (Gaurav Mehta) does not need to worry about inquiry, they will handle it when they come to power,” Mr. Patil said.
The former IPS officer also alleged that he received few more audio clips from Mr. Mehta, which were the alleged conversations between Mr. Gupta and Mr. Patole, who was asking why there was a delay in cash conversion and the former Pune police commissioner assuring the Congress leader that four crypto wallets had been created and the transactions were done from these wallets.
The BJP immediately sought explanation from Ms. Sule, Mr. Patole and their parties on the allegations. The party also posted four audio clips on its official X account.
Denying the allegations, Ms. Sule said, “All this is conjecture and innuendo. I am ready for a public forum debate with any BJP representative at a time and date of their choice.”
Mr. Patole also denied the allegations. “The BJP in connivance with the media has attempted to defame me and my party by making false accusations. As the fourth pillar of democracy, the media should have reported BJP’s allegations responsibly. It is unfortunate that few people are mischievously trying to defame us on BJP’s instruction. In such a situation, I have no other option than to take legal action,” he said.
Advocate Ravi Jadhav, general secretary of Maharashtra Congress, has filed the complaint on behalf of the Congress leader against Mr. Patil and the BJP with the ECI and the cyber crime police station.
Some reports indicated that the audio clips were generated using Artificial Intelligence. However, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said that he has worked closely with Mr. Patole in the past and Ms. Sule is his sister, so he recognise their voice. “The audio clip has their voices, I can figure out from their tone. An inquiry will be done and everything will be clear,” he said.
After the allegations surfaced, the Enforcement Directorate also swung in action and conducted searches at the Raipur premises of Gaurav Mehta, who is accused of collecting bitcoins worth around Rs.6,600 from his investors by promising them 10 per cent monthly returns. The ED is probing the money laundering aspect in connection with the police cases filed in Maharashtra and Delhi.
