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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PM leads mega roadshow in Sikkim, to attend celebrations marking 50 years of statehood on Tuesday
Gangtok (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a mega roadshow in Gangtok on Monday evening after arriving in Sikkim to attend the closing ceremony of 50 years of statehood celebrations.
Modi, who wore a traditional Bhutia cap and a Lepcha coat, was received at the Libing helipad by Governor Om Prakash Mathur and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
From the helipad, the PM began the roadshow, which concluded at Lok Bhavan, where he will stay overnight.
On the open vehicle, Modi was flanked by CM Tamang on his left and state BJP president D R Thapa on his right.
Large crowds lined the roads for hours, waving national flags and waiting to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister.
As his convoy moved slowly through the city, people broke into celebrations. Some enthusiastic supporters chanted "Modi, Modi, Modi", while a few women were seen showering flower petals in his direction.
Modi acknowledged the cheering crowds by waving continuously.
Tamang was also seen urging the gathered people to cheer for the PM during the roadshow.
The route of the roadshow was decorated, with arch gates erected at several points and large cut-outs of Modi placed along the roads.
On Tuesday, Modi will visit the Orchidarium in Gangtok. To commemorate the golden jubilee of Sikkim's statehood and showcase the state's ecological and floral heritage, the 'Swarnajayanti Maitri Manjari' Park has been developed as a world-class Orchid Experience Centre.
The PM will also participate in the closing ceremony of Sikkim's 50th statehood celebrations at Paljor Stadium, where he will unveil development projects worth over Rs 4,000 crore.
The projects cover several sectors, including infrastructure, connectivity, healthcare, education, power, urban development, environment, tourism and agriculture.
Modi is also scheduled to address the gathering on the occasion.
He was expected to attend the opening ceremony of the year-long celebrations last year, but could not reach the venue due to inclement weather. However, he addressed the event virtually from Siliguri in neighbouring West Bengal.
Tamang later thanked the people for giving the grand reception to the PM during the hour-long roadshow in the state capital.
"With immense fervour and heartfelt enthusiasm, the people of Sikkim accorded a grand and resounding welcome to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji on his arrival in Gangtok," he said in a social media post.
Tamang said people from all walks of life gathered in large numbers to greet him, reflecting the deep respect and warm affection the people of Sikkim hold for his leadership.
"It was indeed an honour to join him during the roadshow and witness the overwhelming love and support of the people firsthand," he said.
