Congress MP Supriya Sule has found herself in the spotlight following fresh allegations from former IPS officer Ravindranath Patil regarding a major cryptocurrency fraud case dating back to 2018. Patil, who was a probe officer in the case, claims that Sule and Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole misused bitcoins in the fraud to fund campaigns in Maharashtra, including the ongoing state elections.

These allegations surfaced just a day before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, creating a stir in the political landscape. Patil’s accusations emerged amid reports from Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) workers, who accused the BJP of distributing money ahead of the election.

Patil alleges that certain law enforcement officers were involved in covering up the misuse. According to him, the misappropriated bitcoin was replaced with another wallet to conceal the evidence and divert the investigation. He added that both he and fraud case accused Amit Bharadwaj were wrongfully implicated.

Patil claims that two senior police officers, Pune's then Commissioner of Police Amitabh Gupta and Deputy Commissioner of Police Bhagyashri Nautake, played key roles in the cover-up. He alleges that they were responsible for swapping the original bitcoin wallet with another, which led the investigation astray.

Patil claims to have received voice notes from Gaurav Mehta, an employee of an audit firm. In these recordings, Sule allegedly instructs Mehta to convert bitcoin into cash for election purposes. One of the messages suggests that Sule reassured Mehta that any inquiries would be handled once they came to power.

According to Patil, Mehta played a significant role in converting the stolen bitcoin into cash. Mehta is said to have travelled to Dubai multiple times to cash out the cryptocurrency, which was then funnelled into political campaigns. Patil also said he has recordings of Amitabh Gupta instructing Mehta to deliver Rs. 50 crore in bitcoin to a political leader.

Patil claims that Mehta is currently in possession of bitcoin worth hundreds of crores and that those involved have already sold bitcoin worth Rs. 150 crore. These funds were allegedly used in both the 2019 elections and the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Patil’s allegations suggest a deep network of corruption involving police officers, political leaders, and others. He believes the entire probe was designed to cover up the bitcoin theft and redirect the stolen funds into political campaigns, with the help of influential figures in Maharashtra.

It is worth noting that Patil was arrested in 2022 over the fraud case, accused of misappropriating bitcoin worth Rs. 5 crore. He spent 14 months in jail before being released. Despite his legal troubles, Patil claims that the truth behind the bitcoin scam has been suppressed. He now claims to have voice notes and other evidence and has expressed his willingness to assist in the investigation to uncover the full extent of the corruption.

Meanwhile, Sule has submitted a cybercrime complaint to the Election Commission of India regarding the matter.