BJP alleges Supriya Sule, Nana Patole linked to cryptocurrency fraud, NCP-SP leader reacts, files complaint

Maharashtra elections 2024: Hours before voting in the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule Congress state chief Nana Patole had a link to cryptocurrency fraud. Refuting the allegations, Sule said she filed a cyber fraud complaint with the Election Commission of India against Gaurav Mehta and Ravindranath Patil, former IPS officer from Pune.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said, "An accused dealer contacts a former police officer who has been jailed earlier due to some allegations and tells him that he (the alleged dealer) wants to do some transactions of bitcoin in cash. The police officer declines his request. But the dealer tries to convince him as few 'big people' are involved in this matter and he allegedly takes the names of Nana Patole and Supriya Sule. When the police officer doesn't show any trust in this, the dealer sends him the audio clips. As per the claims of the dealer, there is mention of the need for money for the elections in those audio clips...Now, we want to ask 5 questions to Congress, one, are you involved in the bitcoin transaction? Second, are you in contact with this person named Gaurav Gupta or Mehta? Third, the chats are yours (of your leaders) or not? Fourth, the audio in the audio clips is yours or not? Fifth, who are the 'big people'?"

The BJP released audio calls of Sule and Patole to support its allegations.

"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 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 posted on X.

"I deny all the allegations levelled against me by Sudhanshu Trivedi. 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," Sule said in another post on X.

Allegation vs counter-allegations in Maharashtra

A day before voting in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the political circle in Maharashtra saw sensational allegations from both sides of the political spectrum - ruling Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). First, MVA leaders alleged that BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde indulged in 'cash for vote' in Palghar. Hours later, the BJP hit back with a fresh allegation of the involvement of key MVA leaders in the cryptocurrency fraud case. 

2 FIRs against BJP leader Tawde for alleged 'cash-for-votes'

Police on Tuesday registered two FIRs against BJP's Vinod Tawde, party candidate Rajan Naik and others in connection with the alleged distribution of cash to voters at a hotel in Palghar. The cases were registered at the Tulinj police station in the district for alleged violation of the election code of conduct in place for the November 20 assembly elections, he said. The first FIR named Tawde and others for assembling at a hotel in violation of the poll code, while the second one accuses them of luring voters by offering cash and alcohol to them, the police said.

Hours before the assembly polls, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leader Hitendra Thakur accused Tawde of distributing Rs 5 crore at a hotel in Virar, 60 km from Mumbai, to woo voters, a claim the BJP leader denied, saying he was only providing guidance to party workers on poll procedures.

A Tulinj police station official said, "In the first FIR, 22 people, including BJP leader Vinod Tawde, BJP candidate from Nalasopara Rajan Naik and party office-bearer Manoj Barot have been named, while 200 to 250 unidentified party workers shown as accused for illegally assembling on the fifth floor of the hotel and holding a meeting, thereby violating the election code of conduct."

In another FIR, 34 others, including Tawde, Naik and Barot, were named as accused along with 200 to 250 unidentified party workers. They were accused of violating the poll code for allegedly luring people by offering cash and alcohol to them, he said.

Both the cases were registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the official said, adding that an investigation was underway.

A viral video showed BVA party supporters barging into the Virar hotel room and flinging bundles of cash at Tawde's face before police escorted him out.

Also read: Maharashtra Polls: BJP leader Vinod Tawde accused of distributing cash, FIR filed