Fact Check: FBI in India to probe bitcoin scam?

New Delhi, Apr 10: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday refuted claims that a team from US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was in India to investigate a bitcoin-related scam.

"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," the CBI said in a statement.

"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 told PTI.

"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"," he added.

It is worth mentioninig that, 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!"