Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule has recently lodged a cybercrime complaint with the Election Commission of India, rejecting allegations of using bitcoin to fund the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly elections.
The complaint targets Gaurav Mehta and former Pune IPS officer Ravindranath Patil.
Sule dismissed the claims as baseless, accusing the perpetrators of attempting to mislead voters on the eve of polling. “Familiar tactics of spreading false information to manipulate righteous voters are being resorted to, a night before polling day. We have filed a criminal complaint with the Hon’ble ECI and Cybercrime department against these fake allegations,” she stated.
Sule shared a copy of her complaint on social media, calling such actions “condemnable” in a democracy guided by the Constitution.
As the allegations gained attention, BJP demanded answers. At a press conference, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi asked pointed questions of the Congress and its allies, including whether the party was involved in bitcoin transactions, its association with Gaurav Mehta, and the authenticity of the purported chats and audio clips.
The controversy stems from accusations made by former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil. He alleged that Sule and Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole misused bitcoin funds from a 2018 Cryptocurrency Fraud Case to finance elections.
Patil claimed that during his tenure as a cryptocurrency expert, he uncovered significant irregularities.
According to Patil, Gaurav Mehta, an employee of Sarathi Associates, revealed details of bitcoin transactions linked to top political figures. Mehta allegedly shared voice recordings implicating Sule and Patole, including messages where Sule requested bitcoin encashments for election funding and assured Mehta that inquiries would be handled once in power.
Patil also alleged the involvement of former Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta and ex-Deputy Commissioner Bhagyashri Nautake in manipulating cryptocurrency wallets. He claimed Gupta directed Mehta to travel to Dubai to convert bitcoin into cash, which was then used for political campaigns.
Patil asserted that Mehta confessed to overseeing bitcoin wallets worth hundreds of crores, some of which had already been sold for ₹150 crores, with remaining funds being used for elections.
Patil stated he possessed evidence, including audio recordings, screenshots, and transaction details, and expressed willingness to cooperate with investigative agencies.
The accusations have sparked political upheaval, with both sides demanding thorough investigations. The unfolding case underscores the need for transparency and accountability in electoral processes.
