K’taka government to reopen Bitcoin scam, to get it probed thoroughly
Bengaluru, June 27: The Congress government in Karnataka on Tuesday said it will get the Bitcoin scam taken place during the previous BJP government thoroughly investigated.
The case is likely to be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Home Minister Dr Parameshwara has hinted.
Speaking to reporters in Hassan today, CM Siddaramaiah said all irregularities and scams of the BJP government including the Bitcoin scam will be probed.
Parameshwara charged that the BJP tried to close the matter but the Congress government will get it investigated.
''Regarding Bitcoin, I have said that whatever incident has happened will be thoroughly investigated. For whatever reason, the previous government had closed it. When we were in the opposition, we had said that we will get it investigated if we come to power. We will take all steps to reinvestigate it," Parameshwara told reporters here.
ALSO READ: Karnataka govt to take all measures, including use of Artificial Intelligence, to curb fake news
He also said the Bengaluru Police Commissioner has written to the Director General of Police recommending that this case should be handed over to the CID for investigation. ''After discussion we will decide whether the case should be given to the CID or other agency. CID is capable. We have given it (CID) a new shape and senior officers have been deputed there. A new team has been constituted. So there should not be any surprise if the case is handed over to the CID,'' the Minister said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police B Dayananda said there was suspicion that this case involved a network of national and international level. ''Since it is apparent that this act was done using high end technological methodologies, we have written to the Director General of Police with a view that a high level probe should be conducted by an expert investigation agency,'' Dayananda told reporters here.
According to him, one stage of investigation has happened and further probe was needed to trace the involvement of some more networks because some hackers were involved, who had hacked it in an expert manner.
''They (hackers) have also hacked the government's e-procurement portal. So, an organised investigation was required,'' the police Commissioner said.
The alleged hacker Srikrishna alias Sriki, who has been projected as the kingpin, was arrested after he fell into the police radar for his lavish lifestyle.
He would allegedly stay in five-star hotels and dine and drink with his team.
Sriki's associates alleged that he would hack into poker websites and also the platform for trading bitcoin. Now, the Congress government is claiming that the case could not be investigated properly.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
