Karnataka Bitcoin scam: Siddaramaiah slams BJP over allegations against his late son

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday accused BJP of trying to cover up their corrupt practices by diverting the attention of people by alleging the involvement of his deceased son in the Bitcoin Scam. Siddaramaiah demanded a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the matter.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, in a series of tweets Siddaramaih wrote, "BJP Karnataka is trying to hide their corruption by bringing the name of my deceased son. I urge Karnataka CM to order for Judicial enquiry by Supreme Court to investigate about Bitcoin scam including our team." 

BJP pursuing dirty political agenda: Siddaramaiah

Siddaramaiah lamented that the BJP in Karnataka was carrying out a 'dirty political agenda' by 'pointing personal allegations' against him. "It has been 5 years since my son left us but our family is still grieving. It is unfortunate he will not be able to reply to the allegations on him," he wrote. 

Siddaramaiah shared a photo of PM Modi with Nirav Modi at the 2018 World Economic forum and asked about its interpretation with BJP's allegation of his son's connection with a friend of the prime accused in the Bitcoin scam.  "BJP has alleged that my son Rakesh was seen with Sri Krishna's friend Hemant Muddappa. Then how can we interpret the photo of Narendra Modi with Nirav Modi during 2018 World Economic Forum?" he asked.

LoP alleges involvement of important BJP leader in Bitcoin scam

Siddaramaiah further alleged that an important BJP leader had received Bitcoin as quid pro quo for mediating the release of Hemant Muddappa when he was arrested with Srikrishna. He said that Karnataka BJP President Nalinkumar Kateel might have knowledge about the leader. "Nalinkumar Kateel may know who that leader is," Siddaramaiah said.

This comes after the Karnataka BJP on its official Twitter handle published a series of photographs of Siddaramaiah's late son Rakesh Siddaramaiah with Hemant Mudappa who allegedly had links with the prime accused Srikrishna while pulling Siddaramaih into the matter for covering up the whole issue during his rule when the arrest was made.

Officials seized bitcoins worth Rs 9 crore from the Bangaluru-based hacker, Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, who is also accused of hacking government portals and sourcing drugs through the dark web and paying for them with cryptocurrency, Congress leaders have claimed that "influential politicians" are involved in the scam. During the probe, Srikrishna had claimed that Mudappa had given him details of some accounts of Karnataka's e-procurement website.

BJP refutes allegations

Denying all claims of 'involvement of influential leaders' in the matter. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had on Monday slammed the opposition Congress leaders for making an unnecessary fuss and extending the ongoing row over the ongoing Bitcoin scam investigation. Chief Minister Bommai accused Congress leaders of playing politics on the contentious issue and dismissed the allegations made by them.

Further slamming the Congress party, Bommai raised questions regarding an improper investigation. "Why did not you do proper inquiry when you (Congress) were in power? You left it and the issue had become bigger. And now you are questioning us," he said.