Maharashtra Bitcoin Scam: Ajit Pawar Claims Audio Clip Features Supriya Sule's Voice, Baramati MP Files Defamation Case

Former IPS officer Ravindra Patil made a pre-election allegation that Sharad Pawar faction leader Supriya Sule and Congress President Nana Patole used Cryptocurrency king Bitcoin money from 2018 to fund the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly Elections. The allegations against the Maha Vikas Agadir leader escalated to a full-blown battle between political leaders on voting day in Maharashtra for assembly elections.

Pune, Maharashtra: Former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil alleges that NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule and Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole misappropriated bitcoins from a 2018 cryptocurrency fraud case to fund the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly Elections

He says, "My company… pic.twitter.com/pTRy3ZSQRk

— IANS (@ians_india) November 19, 2024

Patil said, "My company hired me as a cryptocurrency expert to investigate a case in 2018. I was arrested in that case in 2022 under allegations of fraud and spent 14 months in jail after a trial. During that time, I kept wondering what had happened, what the case was about, and why I had been trapped."

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"There were other colleagues with me as well. We were working to uncover the truth. A witness against us, Gaurav Mehta, an employee of an audit firm called Sarathi Associates, called me multiple times for 4-5 hours the day before yesterday, but I did not respond. He (Gaurav Mehta) mentioned two IPS officers, Amitabh Gupta and Bhagyashri Nautake, and also named two people: Supriya Sule and Nana Patole. He then told me that bitcoins were being used in this assembly election," he added.
 
Sule denied all allegations levelled against her, saying they were all lies. After casting a vote for the Maharashtra elections, Sule said, "I have filed a defamation case and a criminal case. I am ready to answer his (Sudhanshu Trivedi) five questions wherever he wants, at the time, place, and platform of his choice. I am ready to answer him because all the allegations are completely false. All lies."

Familiar tactics of spreading false information to manipulate the righteous voters are being resorted to, a night before the polling day. We have filed a criminal complaint to the Hon’ble ECI & the Cyber crime department against the fake allegations made of bitcoin… pic.twitter.com/g8Selv1DFk

— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) November 19, 2024

Sule took her social media handle X (formerly Known as Twitter) and denied allegation saying tactics used a day before voting to manipulate voters. "Familiar tactics of spreading false information to manipulate the righteous voters are being resorted to, a night before the polling day."

Also Read | Sharad Pawar Dismisses Bitcoin Scam Allegations Against Supriya Sule and Nana Patole as Baseless.

Sule said that she had filed a criminal complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the cyber crime department against the fake allegations made of Bitcoin misappropriation. "The intent and mala fide actors behind it are amply evident, condemn worthy that such practices are taking place in a healthy democracy guided by the Constitution of India," she further added while sharing a complaint copy.

Earlier today, Pawar stated that he could recognise his sister's voice in the alleged audio clips referenced by former IPS officer Patil as evidence of Sule's involvement in the scam. The Deputy CM also assured an investigation into the matter.

#WATCH | On allegations against Supriya Sule and Nana Patole, Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP candidate from Baramati Assembly constituency, Ajit Pawar says "Whatever audio clip is being shown, I just know that I have worked with both of them. One of them is my sister and the other… pic.twitter.com/wgoEJrAFya

— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2024

"Whatever audio clip is being shown, I just know that I have worked with both of them. One of them is my sister and the other is someone with whom I have worked a lot. The audio clip has their voices, I can figure out from their tone. An inquiry will be done and everything will be clear," said Ajit Pawar. Reacting to Ajit Pawar's assertion on the audio being hers Sule said, "He is Ajit Pawar, he can say anything. 'Ram Krishna Hari'."