Shimla: A Special Investigation Unit has been formed under the leadership of DIG Northern Range Abhishaik Dullar by the Himachal Pradesh government to investigate cryptocurrency frauds in the state.
This information was given by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri during Question hours in reply to a query from independent member Hoshiyar Singh.
He said that cryptocurrency frauds are not confined to Himachal Pradesh but spread throughout the country and are nation-wide crimes.
Agnihotri stated that six FIRs have been registered about cryptocurrency frauds, and 56 complaints have also been lodged by the victims of such frauds. Dy CM said on Monday that five people were arrested in this crime.
He said most cryptocurrency frauds are recorded in Una, Kangra, and Hamirpur districts. Dy CM announced in the house that a SIT led by DIG Dullar, who recently returned from CBI, would investigate the financial crime.
Agnihotri said that the government is not privy to information about the scale of the crime, but it is a national-wide crime.
Agnihotri said that he could not say that some politicians may be involved in this. Since the member sought a probe into the scam, a SIT would be formed soon, led by DIG.
Earlier, raising a query in the house, Hoshiyar Singh said that a number of people are being allured by the cryptocurrency fraudsters, as an amount of Rs 200 crore was cheated in Hamirpur, Rs 100 crore in Kangra, and Rs 150 crore in Una.
He demanded that the SIT be formed or that the matter be investigated by a retired high court judge. He said that he had information that 125 people were cheated in Dehra Assembly segments, duping Rs 10 crore from them.
He said that he had the names of 125 people and the amount cheated from the number of cryptocurrency fraudsters, including Bitcoin and Bitcash. The member said that some political figures and leaders were also involved in the scam.
He stated that certain individuals, including Desha Sanstha in 2019, have been known to commit crimes against women in the state.
