The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday raided the Chhattisgarh-based premises of Gaurav Mehta, linked to the Bitcoin case in election-bound Maharashtra. This search is being conducted as part of the ongoing investigation of the money laundering case. Sources said that raids are being conducted under the provisions of PMLA at Mehta's premises in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh. BJP has accused NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader and Baramati MP Supriya Sule and Congress leader Nana Patole of illegally using Bitcoin in the ongoing elections. Its leaders played a recording purporting to be Sule's voice. Sule has denied the allegations.
Panic amid voting in Maharashtra
Voting continues on Wednesday for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. Sources said the ED is probing the role of Mehta and some others, who are alleged to have collected “huge” amounts of money in the form of bitcoins (worth Rs 6,600 crore in 2017) from innocent people. and falsely promised them 10 percent monthly 'returns' in the form of Bitcoin. This case is related to police FIR registered in Maharashtra and Delhi.
What is the matter of Bitcoin manipulation?
Actually, the mastermind of this scam was a person named Amit Bhardwaj who did the scam in the name of investment in Bitcoin. Hundreds of investors were defrauded. 10% returns were promised every month by investing in Bitcoin. After this scam, Amit Bhardwaj fled to Dubai but was deported back to India. He died of a heart attack in the year 2022. In this scam, Amit Bhardwaj gave 285 bitcoins to Shilpa Shetty's husband Raj Kundra in the name of opening a bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. The value of these bitcoins at that time was around Rs 150 crore.
About 40 FIRs were registered in this case in Maharashtra and Punjab. Former IPS and cyber expert Ravindra Nath was also included in the investigation team to investigate the case. It is alleged that the then Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta and an IPS Bhagyashree had taken over these bitcoin wallets and in return those bitcoin wallets were kept in which there was no money.
Gaurav Mehta had testified when Ravindranath went to jail.
'Supriya Sule-Nana Patole spent Bitcoin scam cash in elections'
Former IPS officer Ravindranath said, 'My company called me as a cryptocurrency expert to investigate a case in 2018. I was arrested in that case in 2022 under fraud charges. I spent 14 months in jail after a trial. During that time I was wondering what had happened? What was the matter? Why was I framed? There were other colleagues with me. We were working to find out the truth.
Amit Bhardwaj was arrested in 2018
Along with this, the former IPS said, 'There is a witness against us, Gaurav Mehta, who is an employee of an audit firm named Sarathi Associates. The day before yesterday he called me several times for 4-5 hours, but I did not answer. Finally, when I replied he told me that in 2018 when Amit Bhardwaj was arrested. He had a cryptocurrency hardware wallet. That wallet was changed by the then Commissioner Amitabh Gupta and another wallet was kept. We were arrested but the real culprit was Amitabh Gupta and his team.
This is how Supriya Sule's name came to light
The former IPS officer said, 'He (Gaurav Mehta) took the names of two IPS officers, Amitabh Gupta and Bhagyashree Nautke. He took the name of two leaders, one is Supriya Sule and Nana Patole. Patil alleged that after this he told me that Bitcoin is being used in this assembly elections.
Funding done in Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections
Patil further alleged that Bitcoin money was used to fund the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. Patil claims to have voice notes allegedly sent by alleged witness Gaurav Mehta. The former IPS officer said, 'Supriya Sule has sent three voice note messages, in which she is heard asking Gaurav to redeem Bitcoin as funds are needed for the elections. She is also heard assuring them not to worry about the investigation and that they will handle it once they come to power.
Image Credit: India-Tv.