Bitcoin scam allegations on polling day ignite political storm in Maharashtra

Maharashtra witnessed a major political controversy on polling day as former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil's serious allegations against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule and Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole escalated into a full-blown battle. Patil accused the two leaders of using proceeds from the 2018 Bitcoin scam to fund their election campaign.

Supriya Sule denied the charges, labeling them as baseless and defamatory. She said that she had filed both criminal and defamation cases in response, adding, "These allegations are entirely false and fabricated. I am ready to address these claims anywhere, anytime." Sule also made clear her intention to take legal action against BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, who had publicly repeated the accusations.

The controversy intensified further when Sule's cousin, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, publicly claimed to have recognized voices in purported audio clips presented by Patil. Pawar suggested that one of the voices was Sule’s and confirmed that an inquiry would be conducted to get to the truth. "From the tone of the audio, I can identify the voices. One is my sister, and the other is someone I have worked with extensively," Pawar stated, fueling the political firestorm.

In response, Sule dismissed Ajit Pawar’s remarks, sarcastically retorting, "He is Ajit Pawar; he can say anything. ‘Ram Krishna Hari.’" Meanwhile, Sule cast her vote confidently in Baramati, disregarding the mounting allegations.

The row started when Patil accused Sule and Patole of misappropriating bitcoins from the 2018 cryptocurrency fraud to fund the election campaign. The BJP quickly capitalized on the controversy, releasing what it claimed were voice recordings implicating the two leaders. BJP's Trivedi seized the moment, calling the scandal a revelation that "unmasked" the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

Sule, however, rejected the claims as "conjecture and innuendo," inviting any BJP representative to engage in a public debate on the matter. She also lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India and Maharashtra's cyber crime department, targeting Patil and Gaurav Mehta, a witness in the 2018 Bitcoin case, for spreading "false information."

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