India Court condemns perpetual chain to 14 people accused of crypto kidnapping and extortion

An Anti -Corruption Court in India sentenced fourteen people to life imprisonment, including eleven police officers and a former legislator, for the kidnapping of a cryptocurrency investor in 2018.

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• The group demanded a rescue of 176 BTC and ₹ 32 crore in cash, although they only achieved USD $ 150,000.
  
• Eleven police officers and a former member of the Assembly participated in the conspiracy.
  
• The victim, Shailesh Bhatt, also faces charges for kidnapping and money laundering in another case.

In India, a controversial case that involves acts of corruption and organized crime linked to cryptocurrencies has come to an end. An anti -corruption court in Ahmedabad sentenced fourteen men to life imprisonment, including eleven police officers and a former member of the Legislative Assembly, for their participation in the kidnapping of an investor in 2018.

The ruling, dictated by the special judge BB Jadav, told the defendants guilty of kidnapping, extortion and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Criminal Code. The decision reflects the magnitude of the scandal, since among those convicted are senior officers responsible for protecting the law, reports The Block.

The facts of the kidnapping

The victim, Shaileh Bhatt, was deceived on February 9, 2018 to go to a gas station for men who passed by agents of the Indian Central Research Office. Once in the place, the victim was transferred to a nearby farm, where she was threatened with firearms by corrupt police.

The kidnappers demanded a rescue of 176 BTC and ₹ 32 crore in cash, equivalent at that time to USD $ 3.6 million. After negotiations, Bhatt agreed to sell 34 BTC, transferring about USD $ 150,000 to the captors. The agreement to deliver cash was frustrated when the messenger suspected irregularities and refused to make the delivery.

Research and trial

The judicial process included the testimony of 172 witnesses, including experts in digital forensic investigation, bank officials who tracked transfers and several police officers who decided to collaborate as informants. However, 92 witnesses retract or modified their statements, which raised intimidation suspicions. Judge Jadav even issued notifications for Perjury against 25 of them.

The eleven police officers were also found guilty under anti -corruption laws for public office abuse. Among those involved were Nalin Kotadiya, former member of the Legislative Assembly of Gujarat for the district of Amreli, who had remained a fugitive for months before being captured in September 2018.

The controversial past of the victim

The case acquired an additional turn due to the history of the victim herself. Bhatt has been accused of kidnapping two promoters of Bitconnect, to whom he would have extorted with 2,091 BTC, 11,000 LTC and ₹ 14.5 crore in cash, some USD $ 1.6 million. It was arrested on August 13, 2024 by the Indian compliance address, accused of kidnapping, money laundering and other crimes.

The Bhatt process continues in the courts, leaving a complex panorama where victim and victimizer are intertwined in the recent history of crime linked to cryptocurrencies in India.

Written article with the help of an AI content editor, edited by Angel Di Matteo / Diariobitcoin

Original image of Diariobitcoin, created with artificial intelligence, for free use, licensed under public domain.

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