Is FBI in Delhi to probe Karnataka Bitcoin scam, asks Congress

Surjewala demanded the details of the investigations and suspects, including names of politicians, be released

Congress on Friday asked the government whether the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is in India to gather information on the bitcoin scam unearthed in Karnataka last year.

Party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala sought details from the Centre after former Karnataka Minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge tweeted that he believed that the FBI is in the national capital to investigate the bitcoin scam.

"Like I said before, if the state investigates the matter diligently a lot of BJP’s skeletons will tumble out," Kharge tweeted in the evening.

Soon after Surjewala posed questions to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai to confirm whether the US agency is in Delhi to "investigate India's biggest bitcoin scam cover-up under the Karnataka BJP government".

He also demanded the details of the investigations and suspects, including names of politicians, be released.

Surjewala said the layers of the scam are finally being unearthed and both Shah and Bommai should reveal how many bitcoins were stolen and their value as well as those involved. He also asked whether stolen bitcoins were transferred from the wallet of alleged hacker Sri Krishna alias Sriki.

Surjewala referred to 'Whale Alerts', a twitter account tracking largescale cryptocurrency transactions, reflect the transfer of the 14,682 stolen Bitfinex bitcoins valued at Rs 5,240 crores on 1 December, 2020 and 14 April, 2021 when Sriki was in custody and asked whether it has any correlation.

"Why was Interpol not informed? Why did the BJP Government wait for over five months up till 24th April 2021 to write to Interpol and that also after the release of Sri Krishna on 17th April, 2021? Why were NIA/SFIO/ED not informed by the Karnataka BJP Government?" he asked.

In November last year, Congress had brought Bommai in the line of fire alleging "Bitcoin Operation Cover Up" and demanded a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with experts from multiple agencies monitored by a sitting Supreme Court judge. It had then said that a probe by the Enforcement Directorate or Karnataka Police alone cannot unearth the bitcoin case that has international ramifications.

Congress targeted Bommai as he was the Home Minister when the case came to light and the accused Sriki was arrested and held in custody before released on bail and for the alleged delay in notifying the Interpol and Indian agencies like the NIA, CBI, ED and SFIO among others.

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