India’s opposition INC party accused on Thursday the ruling coalition BJP of covering up an ongoing investigation into a $763 million Bitcoin scam in the western state of Gujarat that involves investor manipulation, businessman abduction and а theft of 200 Bitcoins (BTC). The ruling party has denied any involvement or political pressure on the investigators and described INC accusations as “laughable”.
INC, or the Indian National Congress Party, demanded the Supreme Court probe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for political pressure in local investigators. INC claimed that the total sum of the scam will rise to $12 billion.
“A new mega bitcoin scam has been unraveled in Gujarat. The finger of suspicion of this massive scam of illegal cryptocurrency directly points to several top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and a mastermind — an absconding BJP leader and former MLA Nalin Kotadiya,” Shaktisinh Gohi, INC spokesperson said as quoted by local news channel NDTV. Kotadiya is on the run since the scam was first revealed. In a leaked video, he claims that he has information concerning BJP leaders’ involvement in the Bitconnect scam.
The investigation started after a minister from the local Gujarat government filed a complaint against Amreli district police for involvement in the abduction and theft of 200 Bitcoins from businessman Shailesh Bhatt.
Bhatt was one of the investors in Bitconnect company that claimed 365% annual return on investments in BTC. The company stopped paying dividends and Bhatt with other investors nabbed 2000 Bitcoins from Bitconnect. However, after the theft Bhatt was reportedly abducted by local police, put in solitary confinement and the alleged police officials stole around 200 BTC from his wallet.
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