Maharashtra Bitcoin row: Here is everything you need to know of ‘scam’ allegation against Supriya Sule, Nana Patole

Supriya Sule, daughter of NCP-SP leader Sharad Pawar, found herself in trouble after the emegance of the ‘Bitcoin scam’ on the eve of polling in Maharashtra on Wednesday. Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole was also accused of being involved in the alleged corruption.

An audio clip, allegedly involving Patole, Sule, and former Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta, was circulated on social media. It was also shared on YouTube by a BJP spokesperson. The allegations against the three were initiated after the claims by former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil.

Patil accused Sule and Patole of misappropriating Bitcoins from a 2018 cryptocurrency fraud case to fund election campaigns. He named Gaurav Mehta, who is an employee of an audit firm named Sarathi Associates as well.

“He [Gaurav Mehta] sent me some voice notes he had received on WhatsApp. There were three audio messages from Supriya Sule where she asks for cash in exchange for bitcoins. She also says that he [Gaurav Mehta] does not need to worry about inquiry, they will handle it when they come to power…,” Patil said.

He added, “He [Gaurav Mehta] sent another voice note between Amitabh Gupta and Nana Patole where Patole is asking why there is a delay in cash… He sent me more recordings where Amitabh Gupta was asking for Rs. 50 crores… He sent me a voice note he sent to Amitabh Gupta, saying that they had made 4 crypto wallets under the names of Patil and Ghode (my colleague) and the transactions were done from these wallets.”

Patil added he is ready to cooperate with the investigation.

ED raids properties of Gaurav Mehta

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at the Raipur premises of Gaurav Mehta in connection with a bitcoin transactions case, sources said. The investigation is part of a broader money laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).According to ED sources, Mehta is accused of collecting funds worth ?6,600 crore in bitcoin as far back as 2017, luring investors with promises of 10% monthly returns. The investigation stems from police complaints filed in Maharashtra and Delhi.

BJP allegations

On Tuesday, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi raised several questions about Sule’s alleged involvement in a 2018 cryptocurrency fraud case, which former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil claims involved Sule and Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Trivedi said, “we want to ask 5 questions to the Congress Party, one, are you involved in the bitcoin transaction? Second, are you in contact with this person named Gaurav Gupta or Mehta? Third, the chats are yours (of your leaders) or not? Fourth, the audio in the audio clips is yours or not? Fifth, who are the ‘big people’?”

The BJP on Wednesday intensified its attack on Sule and Patole. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also targeted Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and asked the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to hold a press conference on the issue.

In a press conference, Patra rejected the opposition’s claim that the BJP was behind the “conspiracy” to target them amid the Maharashtra polls as he claimed that the suspected crypto currency fraud occurred years back and the opposition alliance used the money in previous elections as well.

It appears that the money involved so far in this scam is Rs 235 crore, he claimed.

Patra claimed that the matter came to light as Gaurav Mehta, a person involved in crypto currency trade and an alleged link to this case, decided to go public because he feared danger to his life after he encashed the Bitcoins to help opposition leaders.

Sule and Patole’s defence

Sule asserted that she is prepared to answer the five questions raised by BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi regarding her alleged involvement in a cryptocurrency fraud case.

Speaking to ANI, Sule said, “I am ready to answer his (Sudhanshu Trivedi) 5 questions wherever he wants. Time of his choice, place of his choice and platform of his choice. I am ready to answer him because all the allegations are completely false.”

Patole on slammed the BJP for dragging him in its allegations of Bitcoins misappropriation to influence the state polls and said he would take the legal route to fight the “fake” charges against him. Talking to reporters after casting his vote in Bhandara district, Patole said he is a farmer and has nothing to do with Bitcoins.

(With agency inputs)