A 2018 bitcoin fraud rocks Maharashtra polls; Sule, Patole complain to Election Fee | Mumbai Information

Each Sule and Patole have denied the allegations, and filed complaints with the EC. Patil mentioned he has written to the EC and sought a probe within the matter. The allegations pertain to an investigation carried out by the Pune police division’s cyber crime cell right into a multi-crore cryptocurrency ponzi scheme in 2018. The accused had been alleged to have defrauded individuals throughout the nation by promising excessive returns on cryptocurrency investments.

A 2004-batch IPS officer, Patil left service on medical grounds in 2010, and began working for international accounting main KPMG as a cybersecurity professional. In 2018, when Pune police investigated the bitcoin ponzi scheme, KPMG was roped in for forensic audit and Patil was the lead investigator. However in March 2022, Patil was arrested by the Pune police for allegedly misappropriating bitcoins throughout the 2018 investigation. He was launched on bail in Might 2023.

Patil has now claimed that on November 17, he was approached by Gaurav Mehta, who was an professional witness within the 2022 case in opposition to him. “Mehta informed me {that a} {hardware} bitcoin pockets seized within the case was swapped in 2018. He mentioned that primarily based on the directions of Amitabh Gupta (who was Pune Police Commissioner between September 2020 and December 2022), he was promoting the bitcoins in Dubai and elsewhere and giving the cash to Supriya Sule and Nana Patole for the Lok Sabha elections (earlier this 12 months) and State Meeting elections. Primarily based on voice notes and particulars despatched to me by Gaurav Mehta, plainly the misappropriated bitcoins had been offered, and the cash was pumped into the Maharashtra elections by way of the hawala route,” Patil informed The Indian Specific. Gupta didn’t reply to calls or textual content messages looking for his remark.

“I’ve written to the EC that primarily based on the voice notes I’ve and on documentary proof a few sure cryptocurrency {hardware} pockets, plainly the mentioned pockets was misappropriated and used to fund each the Lok Sabha elections and State Meeting elections this 12 months. I’ve mentioned that since high-ranking officers and senior politicians are concerned, the gravity of the matter needs to be thought of and an in depth probe needs to be performed. I’ve mentioned that I shall be accessible to present any proof if wanted. I’m additionally approaching the Excessive Court docket and shall be submitting a PIL on this case as many buyers have began approaching me now,” Patil mentioned.

Reiterating Patil’s expenses at a press convention Tuesday evening, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi mentioned: “An accused vendor contacted a former police officer who had been jailed earlier as a consequence of some allegations and informed him that he (the alleged vendor) wished to do some transactions of bitcoin in money. The police officer declined his request. However the vendor tried to persuade him that just a few ‘huge individuals’ had been concerned on this matter and he allegedly took the names of Nana Patole and Supriya Sule. When the previous police officer didn’t present any curiosity, the vendor despatched him the audio clips. As per the claims of the vendor, there may be point out of the necessity for cash for the elections in these audio clips… Now, we wish to ask the Congress… Are you concerned within the bitcoin transaction… who’re the ‘huge individuals’.”

The BJP additionally launched audio clips of the purported voice notes of Sule and Patole.

Denying the fees, Sule mentioned on X: “Acquainted techniques of spreading false info to control the righteous voters are being resorted to, an evening earlier than the polling day. Now we have filed a prison grievance to the Hon’ble ECI & the cyber crime division in opposition to the faux allegations ….”

Sule informed The Indian Specific that she had submitted a grievance to the cyber crime division, by way of electronic mail, in opposition to Patil and Mehta. Nonetheless, officers mentioned that they had not obtained her grievance.

Maharashtra Congress common secretary and advocate Ravi Jadhav mentioned that they had submitted a grievance, on behalf of Patole, to the cyber cell in Mumbai however no FIR was registered. A senior Mumbai Police officer mentioned that they had not obtained any grievance.

In the meantime, Sule’s estranged cousin and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar alleged: “From the tone within the audio clips, I can establish the voices. One in all them is my sister, and the opposite is somebody I’ve labored with extensively. The voice (within the audio clip) is theirs… An inquiry shall be performed, and the reality will emerge.”

However Ajit Pawar’s nephew Yugendra Pawar, who’s contesting because the NCP (SP) candidate in opposition to him in Baramati, mentioned: “The voice shouldn’t be hers (Sule’s). I’ve not heard the audio clip. I’ve been very busy as that is my first election. However I don’t assume she would do one thing like this.”

In a associated growth, the Enforcement Directorate, which can be probing the 2018 cryptocurrency fraud case, performed searches at Gaurav Mehta’s home in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday. Mehta has additionally been summoned by the CBI as a part of its probe into the case.