Jobaaj Stories
Two of the suspects in the ongoing Bitcoin scam case, a police inspector and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), have been denied anticipatory release by the Karnataka High Court. This is a significant move. The prior bail requests of accused number three, Inspector Chandradhara SR, and accused number five, DySP Shridhar K Pujar, were denied by a sessions court.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Rajendra Badamikar underscored grave concerns regarding the potential manipulation of records and destruction of evidence by the accused individuals due to their influential positions within the police department. The judge emphasized that the allegations against them included attempts to tamper with evidence, rendering their bail pleas devoid of merit.
Representing the Crime Investigation Department (CID), Special Public Prosecutor BN Jagadeesha argued that the accused officers played a significant role in facilitating illegal activities, including the transfer of funds and Bitcoins. The CID further contended that these officers colluded with other accused individuals to destroy evidence and evade legal consequences.
The court, upon careful consideration of the evidence presented, observed a pattern of behavior indicative of an attempt to tamper with evidence and assist in unlawful activities. Instances were highlighted where the accused officers allegedly provided illegal substances to detainees and facilitated illicit transactions.
The Bitcoin scam, which surfaced during the previous BJP regime in 2021, had drawn sharp criticism from the opposition Congress, accusing the government of attempting to cover up the scandal due to involvement of prominent figures. The prime suspect, Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, was accused of hacking the state government’s e-procurement site and siphoning off over â‚ą11.5 crore. The case also involved allegations of cryptocurrency theft, drug peddling, and cyber fraud.
According to the FIR filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the prime accused in the case is Santhosh Kumar KS, CEO of GCID Technologies, an IT firm based in HSR Layout. The FIR implicated four police inspectors, Lakshmikanthaiah, Chandradhara, Prashanth Babu DM, and Shridhar K Pujar. Among them, Prashanth Babu DM, then serving as a police inspector with the Technical Support Centre in Adugodi, had reportedly engaged the services of GCID Technologies and its CEO directly into the Bitcoin investigation.
SIT officials alleged that crucial evidence was tampered with at the CCB’s office in Chamarajpet and other locations between November 9, 2020, and December 16, 2020, as part of a criminal conspiracy. It was claimed that the investigating officers had deleted technical information of some transactions and even planted additional files to dilute the case and protect the accused.
In light of these revelations and the serious nature of the allegations, the Karnataka High Court's decision to deny anticipatory bail to the accused police officials underscores the necessity for thorough investigation into the Bitcoin scam case.
The ruling serves as a reminder of the judiciary's commitment to upholding the integrity of the legal process and ensuring accountability, particularly in cases involving corruption and abuse of power.
