An Indian court has handed down a significant ruling in a high-profile case involving a former legislative assembly member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Nalin Kotadiya has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a bitcoin extortion plot that shocked the nation in 2018.
Kotadiya, along with thirteen other individuals, was found guilty of kidnapping a businessman from Surat and extorting 200 bitcoins from him. The case has finally come to a conclusion with a local court in Ahmedabad delivering the verdict today.
The trial exposed a web of corruption involving high-profile individuals in Gujarat. Former BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya and ex-IPS officer Jagdish Patel were among those convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. This landmark ruling sends a strong message against corruption and criminal activities involving politicians and law enforcement officials.
The crime began with the abduction of Shailesh Bhatt, a businessman and cryptocurrency trader, from a gas station in Gandhinagar. The perpetrators, posing as CBI officials, took Bhatt to a farmhouse where they seized 200 Bitcoins valued at around ₹12 crore. They demanded a ransom of ₹32 crore after discovering that Bhatt had previously stolen Bitcoins worth ₹150 crore from another individual.
Bhatt’s formal complaint to the CID set off a chain of events that led to the arrest of ten police officers, including Anant Patel and lawyer Ketan Patel. Further investigations revealed the involvement of Jagdish Patel and Nalin Kotadiya, who had conspired to rob Bhatt. Kotadiya went into hiding but was eventually apprehended after a non-bailable warrant was issued.
The conspiracy deepened with the revelation of a genuine CBI Inspector, Sunil Nair, who was implicated in demanding a bribe from Bhatt and threatening him with an investigation. The court’s decision marks a significant victory against corruption and criminal activities involving police officials, politicians, and cryptocurrency.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of upholding the law and holding individuals accountable for their actions. The sentencing of Nalin Kotadiya and his accomplices sends a strong message that justice will prevail in the face of corruption and criminality. The fight against such nefarious activities continues, and this ruling is a step in the right direction towards a more transparent and accountable society.