CID submits charge sheet against Bitcoin scam kingpin

Bengaluru: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has submitted a charge sheet against Bitcoin scandal kingpin Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki in connection with website hacking case, police sources said on Friday.

According to sources, the police have submitted 500 pages of charge sheet against main accused Sriki and 17 others in a special court.

The police officers explained that the charge sheet containing the information on transaction of money is likely to cause a stir among political circles of the state.

The charge sheet has been submitted under IPC section 420, section 43 and 66 of the IT Act. It maintains that main accused Sriki hacked into the government e-portals to manipulate contract processes as per the directions of his contractor friend and another co-accused in the case, sources said.

As much as Rs 11.55 crore was siphoned off after hacking into a e-procurement portal. The police who were investigating this case stumbled upon kingpin Sriki involving in hacking three Bitcoin agencies, 10 poker websites and other scams. The Bitcoin scandal has taken a political turn with Congress making direct allegations on top BJP leaders, including BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel in connection with the incident. The scandal has been discussed at the national level by Congress.

The Congress is also planning to rake up the issue in the ongoing winter Assembly session at Belagavi and it is expected to create a heated debate between opposition Congress and ruling BJP in Karnataka.