Karnataka Youth Congress chief Mohammed Nalapad appears before SIT probing Bitcoin scam
Bengaluru, Feb 06 (PTI): Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee President Mohammed Haris Nalapad appeared before the SIT of the Karnataka CID here on Thursday to take part in the Bitcoin scam probe.
Mohammed and his brother Omar Haris, were questioned in June 2024 too for over two days with regard to the payments made by them for expenses incurred by hacker Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, including his stay at luxury hotels, his travel and other expenses between 2017 and 2018.
Sriki was arrested in November 2020.
Mohammed and Omar are sons of Congress MLA N A Haris, the chairman of the Bangalore Development Authority.
Sources said the SIT is reported to be in the process of finalising two charge sheets in the Bitcoin scam in which police officers have allegedly destroyed evidence and embezzled cryptocurrency.
The SIT began its investigation into the Bitcoin scam in June 2023.
Last year, the SIT filed a charge sheet against Sriki and his accountant Robin Khandelwal in connection with the hacking of Unocoin Technology Pvt Ltd's crypto exchange in Karnataka that occurred on June 23, 2017. This incident resulted in the theft of 60.6 Bitcoins, which were valued at Rs 1.14 crore based on the prevailing rate of Rs 1.67 lakh per Bitcoin at that time.
There is no record of direct financial transactions between the hacker and the Nalapad brothers, including their fund manager. However, the hacker stated to the CID police in 2021, following his arrest for a hacking incident at the Karnataka government's e-procurement portal in July 2019 that resulted in a Rs 11.5 crore heist, that he had made an "investment" of 150 Bitcoin and 1,100 Ethereum with Mohammed after meeting the brothers in 2017.
According to the sources, the statements made by Srikrishna are currently being investigated and verified.
At the time of the hacker's arrest in 2020, the value of one Bitcoin was in the range of $20,000 (around Rs 20 lakh), and it surged to as high as $50,000 (around Rs 50 lakh) by April 2021. The value of one Bitcoin recently hit $1,00,000.
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3 killed, 15 injured in fire after blast at firecracker unit in MP's Dewas; CM orders probe
Dewas/Indore (PTI): At least three workers were killed and 15 persons injured after a fire broke out following an explosion at a firecracker factory in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas district on Thursday, an official said.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the incident and ordered an investigation. The state government will provide an assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased, and the injured will receive free treatment, he said in a post on X.
Three persons were killed in the fire at the firecracker unit located in Tonk Kalan area, and around 15 injured persons were sent to hospitals in Indore and Dewas, Collector Rituraj Singh told reporters after inspecting the site.
Videos of the aftermath surfaced on social media, showing thick white smoke billowing from the factory along the Agra–Mumbai national highway. The clips also showed people rushing the injured for treatment amid cries for help, with body parts seen scattered at the site.
The collector said the fire has been brought under control. The administration has taken possession of explosives stored at another location within the unit, he said.
The work to manufacture small firecrackers at the factory of a person named Anil Malviya had begun only 15 days ago, and a licence has been issued for the unit, the collector said.
A detailed investigation is underway into the incident, he added.
CM Yadav said, "I have directed Deputy Chief Minister and Dewas district guardian minister Jagdish Devda, the home secretary and senior officials to visit the spot. An inquiry has also been ordered into the incident."
Local residents said there was a massive explosion at the factory, and the victims' body parts were found scattered far away from the site.
They said construction work was underway at the site and different sheds were being built there.
