E-Paper
Bitcoin row: BJP alleges ‘scam’ done on directions of Rahul, Sonia Gandhi
Supriya Sule rejected the Opposition's claim that the BJP was behind the "conspiracy" to target Supriya Sule and Nana Patole.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday intensified its attack on NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule and Congress' Nana Patale over allegations of their involvement in the alleged Bitcoin scam.
The two leaders are accused of using Bitcoin proceeds to fund Maharashtra elections by former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which quickly latched onto the allegation, has also released purported voice notes, which they claim involve Sule and Patole in a conspiracy to encash Bitcoins to influence the electoral process.
Supriya Sule and Nana Patole have denied the allegations and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being behind it.
Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that the alleged misappropriation was done as per the directions of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Patra also rejected the Opposition's claim that his party was behind the "conspiracy" to target Sule and Patole.
He claimed that the alleged cryptocurrency scam occurred years ago, and the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance used the money in previous elections as well. Patra claimed that about ₹235 crore was involved in the alleged scam.
“...There are 4 such audios of Supriya Sule... Today Supriya Sule is saying that this is AI generated, this is not my voice whereas her own brother (Ajit Pawar) is saying that this is her voice. So very clearly we can hear what instructions Supriya Sule is giving and not only Supriya Sule, you can also see Nana Patole how he is giving instructions to Amitabh Gupta who is the commissioner...” Patra was quoted as saying by ANI.
“In the chat that has taken place in the chat box, in Signal app, apart from Supriya Sule and Nana Patole, there are some other big players. If there is any biggest player in this game of loot and corruption in this country, then it is Sonia ji and Rahul ji. And the way these things are happening allegedly and crores of rupees are involved in it, 235 crores rupees which we are hearing... We would like Rahul ji to hold a press conference on this and also give clarification from his side that did he not give instructions to Nana Patole?” he added.
Supriya Sule dares BJP
On her part, Sule has denied the allegations by accusing the BJP of resorting to “cheap politics”.
“All this is conjecture and innuendo, and I am ready for a debate with any representative of the BJP at a time and date of their choice, in a public forum,” she wrote on X.
Sule, however, said that these were “familiar tactics of spreading false information to manipulate the righteous voters” the night before election.
She also sent a complaint to Election Commission of India and Maharashtra cyber crime department against what she called the fake allegations made of bitcoin misappropriation. Her complaint targets Patil and Gaurav Mehta, who was witness in the 2018 case.
