FBI team in India to probe ‘bitcoin scam’, CBI denies reports

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday
clarified that no team of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has come
to India to probe the alleged Bitcoin scam in Karnataka. CBI responded to the
media reports and Congress leaders that officials of the US law enforcement
agency are in the country to probe the issue.

“This is to inform that FBI has not sent any team to
India for conducting a probe in the matter nor has any request been made by FBI
to CBI for conducting an investigation in this case in India,” the central
investigation agency said in a statement.

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Accordingly, the question of giving any permission for
investigation by the Competent Authority of India does not arise. As the
National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India, CBI works closely with
international law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the statement added.

The CBI’s statement comes after Congress leaders claimed
that the FBI was investigating the “Bitcoin scam” and dared BJP
leaders in Karnataka, including Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai, to come
clean.

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At the centre of the massive controversy is Srikrishna
Ramesh, who was arrested in a drugs case in 2020. During the investigation,
police found that Ramesh was a hacker allegedly part of several cybercrimes. In November 2020, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) had reportedly seized 31 bitcoins worth Rs 9 crore from the Bengaluru-based hacker. Reportedly, he has confessed to hacking into and stealing
from Bitcoin exchanges and a government portal, among others.

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The Opposition has pointed out gaps in the Bengaluru
police’s investigation and accused many BJP leaders and senior officials of
receiving Bitcoins as kickbacks.

Karnataka’s Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai, who also
heads the Home Ministry, has been a main target of the Opposition.

In a tweet, Congress MLA from Chittarpur Priyank Kharge
had said he believed the “FBI is in Delhi to investigate the
billion-dollar” Bitcoin scam. “Like I said before if the state
investigates the matter diligently, a lot of BJP’s skeletons will tumble out,”
he added.

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Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surajewala had also
asked several questions related to the alleged Bitcoin scam, including whether
the FBI was in India to investigate India’s biggest Bitcoin Scam Coverup under
Karnataka BJP Government.  He had also
sought the release of details of the investigation and suspects, including
political people.

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Last year, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had accused
the Congress of playing politics over the bitcoin scam allegations. He had
asked the opposition party to provide documents, if any, to investigating
agencies.

Bommai had even met Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the
issue and said the PM had asked him not to worry about the allegations.