Bitcoin extortion case: Amreli SP detained by Gujarat CID
Gujarat CID-Crime branch has detained Amreli Superintendent of Police (SP) from his residence last night for questioning for his alleged role in extorting Bitcoins and cash from a builder, an official said today. A few days back, Amreli police inspector Anant Patel was arrested in the case. He is accused of extorting bitcoins worth crores of rupees and cash from Surat-based builder Shailesh Bhatt.
On April 8, CID-Crime registered a case against Anant Patel and nine other policemen for allegedly kidnapping Bhatt and extorting Bitcoins, a popular cryptocurrency and some cash from him. They were booked under IPC sections related to kidnapping, extortion, illegal detention as well as under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Notably, Jagdish Patel's name does not figure in the FIR.
Bhatt, in his complaint, had alleged he was kidnapped from near a hotel in Gandhinagar by the accused policemen on February 9. The realtor claimed he was taken to a farmhouse where Anant Patel beat him and forced him to digitally transfer 200 Bitcoins worth crores of rupees. Police earlier said they were verifying Bhatt's claim of digitally transferring 200 Bitcoins to Anant Patel.
The exchange rate of one bitcoin is over Rs. 5L at present, as per the websites which track the prices of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is a type of digital money that is issued and normally controlled by its developers and used and accepted among the members of the virtual community. The Centre has said it does not recognize cryptocurrency as legal tender in India.
