The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday categorically denied that any FBI team was in India to probe a bitcoin case in Karnataka.
Earlier, rumours were doing the rounds that a special team of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the intelligence agency of the US, has landed in India and were in touch with the Karanataka Police and the CBI to probe the bitcoin matter.
CBI clarifies on FBI's intervention
"This is to inform that FBI has not sent any team to India for conducting a probe in the matter nor has any request been made by FBI to CBI for conducting investigation in this case in India.
"Accordingly the question of according any permission for the probe by competent authority in India does not arise," the CBI said in its note.
The CBI as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India coordinates closely with international law enforcement agencies, including FBI.
The Karnataka bitcoin scam involves politicians and police officials who are alleged to have received kickbacks in the form of bitcoins from an international hacker. The main accused, Shrikrishna aka Sriki, was arrested in November 2020, but was released on bail last year.
(With inputs from IANS)
