CBI refutes reports claiming FBI team in India to probe 'bitcoin scam'

The CBI on Sunday refuted reports that a team of the US' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was in India to probe the alleged bitcoin case being investigated by the Karnataka Police, and termed the statements "speculative" and "without any basis".

In a statement, the central agency said the FBI has not sent any team to India to conduct a probe in the matter nor has any request been made by the US probe agency to the CBI for conducting an investigation in this case.

"Accordingly, the question of according any permission for the probe by Competent Authority in India does not arise. CBI as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India coordinates closely with international law enforcement agencies including FBI," Central Bureau of Investigation spokesperson RC Joshi said.

The statement comes after the Congress on Friday asked whether the FBI is in India to investigate an alleged "Bitcoin scam" which the party had accused the BJP government in Karnataka of covering up last year.

Later, senior officials added that the statements and reports claiming the presence of the FBI team to probe the case are "speculative, without any basis" and issued with a "malafide intent".

In a tweet, Congress MLA from Chittarpur Priyank Kharge had said he believed the "FBI is in Delhi to investigate the billion dollar" Bitcoin scam.

"Like i said before, if the state investigates the matter diligently, a lot of BJP's skeletons will tumble out," he had said.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surajewala had also tweeted, saying, "The layers of #BitcoinScam are finally being unearthed!"

He had asked several questions related to the alleged scam, including whether the FBI was in India to investigate India's biggest Bitcoin Scam Coverup under Karnataka BJP Govt?

He had also asked the government to release details of the investigation and suspects, including political people.

Accusing the Congress of playing politics on the alleged bitcoin scam issue, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had last year asked the opposition party to give documents, if any, to investigating agencies.