Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday announced that "we will crack down on those involved in the Bitcoin scandal".
Speaking to mediapersons after paying tributes to late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary, Bommai said that there is no question of sparing anyone who is involved.
"Our government is open on this issue. We are the one who exposed this case. It is our government that recommended the ED and CBI to probe the case. The ED is conducting the probe and the CBI has taken it to Interpol as well. All the necessary information has been provided for these agencies," he said.
If those involved are found to have perpetrated any fraud on the interests of the country, state or any individuals "we will act mercilessly against them", Bommai asserted.
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Reacting to the questions raised by the AICC in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, Bommai in a strong retaliation said: "We have replied to his six questions. If the case had a Karnataka connect since 2016 why did their own government not probe the case then. Why did the then Congress Chief Minister and Ministers did not pay attention to it? They released the accused Srikrisha, who was arrested.
"They could have acted seriously even when the accused sought anticipatory bail. Why are you raising all the questions with us after deliberately allowing the case to attain mega proportion? We need not learn lessons from those who allowed the accused to go scot-free."
It would be better for them to provide the documents, if any, to the ED for effective investigation, Bommai said, adding that
Surjewala's efforts to project the issue as a major scam reflects his intellectual bankruptcy.
"It is not appropriate for a national spokesperson of a national party to indulge in such acts just based on a Twitter handle. He should speak with circumstantial evidence."
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