Karnataka CM Bommai hits back at Cong, asks to 'submit evidence linked to Bitcoin scam'

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai 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.

Denying all claims of 'involvement of influential leaders' in the matter, the Karnataka CM reiterated that the case is being investigated by the agencies and that the government has already provided them with all the information. He also called out the opposition leaders to provide any evidence or document related to the matter that they possess. CM made this statement in a retort to the allegations made by the top Congress leaders in the state.

CM Bommai attacks Congress, asks opposition to 'submit evidence related to Bitcoin scam'

CM Basavaraj Bommai told ANI, "You should ask the question to them (Congress). I have repeatedly said if they have any documentary evidence let them give it to ED or state police. We will investigate it seriously."

Bommai had earlier alleged that the issue had become bigger as the opposition did not probe the matter properly when it was in power.

Apart from the Chief Minister, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar had also hit back at the opposition parties and named Congress as the "party of corruption" and reiterated that the state government has ordered an investigation in the matter and the investigating team has shared all information with the Interpol, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI.

Sudhakar told  ANI earlier, "This Govt has nothing to hide in this episode. The investigating team has shared all information with Interpol, ED, and CBI." He further added that the government will come out with the evidence soon and the allegations made by the opposition are baseless since they have nothing to hide. “We would like to conduct a thorough investigation. We don't want to hide any facts or protect anybody. We are the ones who ordered the investigation. The Government will come out with all the evidence soon,” he said.

Congress attacks CM Bommai for not taking adequate action on Karnataka Bitcoin Scam

This comes after Congress lambasted the Chief Minister for allegedly failing to take adequate measures in the Bitcoin scam. After officials seized bitcoins worth Rs 9 crore from a city-based hacker, Srikrishna 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.

The scam might be far worse, according to the Congress party, as fraudulent transactions worth Rs. 5,240 crore were made in just two days on December 1, 2020, and April 14, 2021. Srikrishna has been held in detention for more than 100 days on 'one pretext or another', but no proper action has been taken against him, the Congress had alleged.

With Inputs from Agencies

Image: ANI/ PTI/ Pixabay