CBI denies FBI is in India to probe Karnataka Bitcoin rip-off

By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has denied media reviews that stated a crew of sleuths from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is in India to probe into the Karnataka Bitcoin rip-off whereby politicians and police officers reportedly acquired kickbacks within the type of bitcoins from a hacker who was arrested by the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch police in reference to a drug case in November 2020.

In an official communication on Sunday, the CBI affirmed, “The FBI has not despatched any crew to India for conducting a probe within the matter nor has any request been made by FBI to CBI for conducting an investigation on this case in India. The query of any permission for the probe by the competent authority in India doesn’t come up.”

The CBI because the central investigating company coordinates intently with worldwide legislation enforcement businesses together with the FBI. 

Congress General Secretary answerable for Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala and Congress MLA  from Chittapur Priyank Kharge had tweeted that the FBI is in India to analyze an alleged “Bitcoin scam” which the get together had accused the BJP authorities in Karnataka of overlaying up final 12 months.

“The FBI investigation into the Bitifinex hacking has revealed email IDs based out of India. Should the police here not investigate the matter? If the state investigates the case diligently, a lot of BJP’s skeletons will tumble out,” Kharge stated.

Meanwhile, a report claimed that the FBI and different US businesses are investigating the theft of 1,19,754 bitcoins (valued at $4.5 billion at current) from the British Virgin Islands-based Bitfinex cryptocurrency alternate.

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The rip-off was reported extensively in 2020 quickly after the arrest of the 26-year-old hacker Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki who claimed to have hacked, amongst others, on-line gaming portals and state authorities’s e-procurement portal.

At the time chief of opposition in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah reportedly took to social media saying, “There is information about the involvement of influential politicians of Karnataka in Drugs & Bitcoin scam. It is concerning that the investigating officers are trying to close the case to help those politicians. @BJP4India govt should not use their power to divert the investigation. They should ensure that the guilty are punished.”