Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Just as polling for Maharashtra Assembly Elections was underway on Wednesday, the BJP escalated its criticism of the state’s Opposition leaders Supriya Sule and Nana Patole, accusing them of using illegal Bitcoin transactions to fund elections. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asserted that the roles of both leaders would be revealed during the ongoing investigation. Patra also slammed Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, urging the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to address the issue in a press conference.
Patra dismissed opposition claims that the BJP orchestrated a plot to discredit them during the Maharashtra polls. He argued that the suspected cryptocurrency fraud dated back several years and that the opposition alliance had used illicit funds in previous elections. He suggested the scam involved Rs 235 crore.
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Sule rejected the allegations, calling the evidence, including audio recordings of her, fabricated. She stated that she had reported the matter to the Election Commission and Maharashtra Police, accusing the BJP of using misleading tactics to manipulate voters. On X, Sule condemned the spread of false information, labeling such practices harmful to democracy.
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Patra claimed the issue resurfaced when Gaurav Mehta, a cryptocurrency trader allegedly involved, went public fearing for his safety after helping opposition leaders encash the Bitcoins. He further connected the case to a 2018 cryptocurrency fraud and the arrest of former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil, who was allegedly implicated in the misappropriation of a crypto wallet. Mehta had reportedly provided evidence against Patil and shared the disputed audio recordings of Sule and Patole, Patra said, dismissing Sule’s defense as typical of a suspect caught in wrongdoing.
Ex-IPS officer urges EC to probe alleged Bitcoin scam
Former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil has accused various Opposition leaders in Maharashtra of misappropriating bitcoins. He said that he has formally requested the Election Commission to investigate the matter.
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