Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday said the state government will review whether the Cabinet sub-committee formed to oversee the high-profile Bitcoin scam probe needs to be reconstituted, as the Enforcement Directorate (ED)-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) intensifies its investigation into a case that has drawn politicians into its net.

What Kharge Said

Responding to a query in Bengaluru, the Home Minister acknowledged the jurisdictional boundaries of the ongoing probe. 'There is an ED case, which is not under our jurisdiction. A Cabinet sub-committee was formed earlier. We will now discuss whether it needs to be reconstituted. We will decide later,' Kharge stated.

The remarks signal that the Karnataka government is treading carefully, given that the ED — a central agency — is driving the investigation, limiting the state's direct oversight role.

Nalapad Named in Chargesheet

Karnataka Youth Congress leader Mohammed Haris Nalapad has been named in a chargesheet filed by the SIT in the 2017 Unocoin Bitcoin theft case. The chargesheet, submitted before a Bengaluru court on 20 May, names Nalapad alongside alleged hacker Srikrishna Ramesh, also known as Sriki, and his accountant Robin Khandelwal.

Nalapad is the son of Congress MLA of Shantinagar, N.A. Harris. The SIT has issued a third notice to Mohammed Nalapad. According to SIT findings, crores of rupees were allegedly routed through transactions linked to Nalapad in connection with the illegal conversion of Bitcoins into Indian currency.

ED Raids and Digital Evidence

ED officials recently conducted coordinated raids at the residences of Congress MLA N.A. Harris in Shantinagar, Bengaluru, and his son Mohammed Nalapad, during which digital evidence was seized. The case centres on alleged international hacker Srikrishna alias Sriki, who is accused of illegally acquiring Bitcoins and attempting to convert them into cash through illegal channels.

Bidadi Township Row and Other Remarks

On the controversial Bidadi Township project, Kharge pushed back against opposition criticism, noting that Janata Dal (Secular) had supported the project when it was in power. 'When they do it, it is a masterstroke, but when we do it, it becomes anti-farmer,' he said, appearing to target Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who has vehemently opposed the project. He added that the government would not proceed if local communities remained opposed.

On the question of weekly leave for police personnel, Kharge said he had asked for time to consult staff and would address their concerns, noting that police personnel face stress and deserve consideration for their health and family welfare.

With the ED probe deepening and a Congress-linked figure named in the chargesheet, the political pressure on the Karnataka government over the Bitcoin scam is unlikely to ease anytime soon.