BENGALURU: Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee president Mohammed Haris Nalapad on Thursday appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the Bitcoin scam. The SIT issued a fresh second notice to Nalapad, son of Congress MLA from Shantinagar NA Haris, for questioning regarding his alleged links to hacker Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, the main accused in the Bitcoin scam.
Nalapad was quizzed for over two hours and told to appear for questioning again on Friday. It was reported that before appearing for questioning, Nalapad visited Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s house.
Home Minister G Parameshwara told reporters said the questioning was part of the investigation, and the investigation officer may call anyone linked to the scam. It is said the notice to Nalapad comes at a time when the SIT is in the process of finalizing two chargesheets in the Bitcoin scam about the involvement of police officers, and alleged embezzlement of cryptocurrency after Sriki’s arrest in November 2020.
Nalapad and his brother Omar Haris were questioned in June 2024 over two days in connection with the payments made by them for expenses incurred by hacker Sriki.
Speaking to reporters post the questioning, Nalapad said the SIT had issued a notice asking him to appear for questioning on Friday. “Due to personal reasons, I appeared before the investigating officers on Thursday itself and faced the inquiry.
I am not going anywhere or attempting to escape. I have no fear of being arrested in this case. I have answered the investigators’ questions. I was introduced to Sriki through my brother. Until now, neither I nor my brother have received any money from Sriki’s bank account.