For representational purposes (File Photo | AFP)
BENGALURU: Bitcoin, increasingly considered a safe and lucrative investment, is creating a buzz in Karnataka’s political circles. While top-ranking police officials and CID officers clarify that there is nothing scandalous about investing in Bitcoins, what is this scandal all about?
The long-drawn debate over Bitcoins centres around an agent Sri Krishna, alias ‘Shriki’, who had in his possession hundreds of bitcoins and had collected about Rs 2,600 crore from various high networth individuals, including two politicians from the ruling party. Siddaramaiah is already making allegations against the government.
The scandal involves getting details of who invested in bitcoins, and where they got the money from. In response to Siddaramaiah’s question, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai pointed out that the matter was referred to the Enforcement Directorate in March, and to the CBI in April. To this, Siddaramaiah shot back asking why it was not made public until he raised the issue.
Bommai countered this by saying the matter was brought to light in 2018, when Siddaramaiah was CM, and said the entire thing should be investigated since 2018. Bommai alleged that Sriki had got narcotics through the darknet. He also said the accusations will ricochet on the Congress. Siddaramaiah is asking for investigations to bring out the identities of persons who have invested, quantum of investment and details of transactions and from whose accounts the money was paid. He said the people who are in touch with Sriki need to be exposed. The matter was taken up by the ED in March.
Siddaramaiah has privately expressed skepticism that it was taken up suo motu by ED, as no one needs to recommend any case to them, and even considering they did recommend why has this not been brought into public domain. He is demanding that Sriki’s statements about whom he is connected to politically need to be known.
