Bitcoin hackers booked under Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act

PTI, May 25, 2024, 6:13 PM IST

The Special Investigation Team probing the bitcoin scam has booked hackers Srikrishna alias Sriki and Robin Khandelwal under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA).

Sriki was arrested by the Tumakuru police after his role was found in stealing 62 bitcoins worth Rs 32 crore on May 8. Rs 32 crore worth bitcoin transactions took place in Tumakuru.

In a statement, the Criminal Investigation Team said that since Sriki and Khandelwal were involved in many such cases, it has been decided that they should be booked under section-3 of the KCOCA.

The bitcoin scam had surfaced during the previous BJP regime in 2021, and the Congress then in the opposition had accused the government of trying to cover up the scandal as it involved big names.

The prime suspect Sriki was accused of hacking the state government’s e-procurement site and siphoning off over Rs 11.5 crore. There were also charges of cryptocurrency theft, drug peddling and cyber fraud relating to the case.