Bengaluru, April 21 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) concluded its raids on Tuesday after conducting a 21-hour search and seizure operation in the alleged Bitcoin-linked money laundering case. The raids were carried out at multiple locations linked to Congress leaders across Karnataka, including several places in Bengaluru.
More than 100 officers concluded the searches at the residences of Congress MLA and Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) Chairman N.A. Haris and his son, State President Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress, Mohammed Nalapad at 3 A.M. today.
ED officials also covered the premises of Aqeeb Khan, grandson of former Union Minister K. Rahman Khan. The officers had launched simultaneous raids across state from 6 A.M. on Monday.
Meanwhile, sources stated that ED probe continues at the residence of Bitcoin scam kingpin Shreekhi. The financial transaction of Rs 4.65 crore between Haris’s son Nalapad and Shreekhi is a key element of the ED investigation.
There’s an allegation that Nalapad funded Shreekhi’s lavish lifestyle. The ED is conducting an intense probe into several transactions, including the purchase of a Porsche car.
ED officials are questioning Shreekhi, and there’s a possibility of taking him to the bank today to verify bank accounts.
Nalapad, Shreekhi, and a senior IPS officer’s son, together visited a second-hand showroom on Lavelle Road in Bengaluru to buy a Porsche car. During the test drive, Shreekhi tried to smoke a cigarette in the car. When the showroom staff objected, he picked a fight. Later, this group bought the car for Rs 57 lakh.
Shreekhi allegedly used the car as an ashtray, dropping cigarette ash, and even set the car seat on fire with a lighter. Later, they sold the same car back to the same showroom for Rs 47 lakh. This financial transaction was handled by Nalapad and Rishab.
Regarding this incident, the CID SIT team had questioned Nalapad in 2024 and recorded their statements. Nalapad is now in trouble for allegedly assisting Shreekhi’s financial dealings. Several of their past transactions, including the Porsche purchase, are now under ED scrutiny, sources said.
According to official sources, the ED conducted search operations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at 12 premises across Karnataka under the tight protection of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
–IANS
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