Bitcoin scam accused former BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya was sent to judicial custody on Monday. Kotadiya was produced before a local court on Monday after his seven days remand came to an end. He was sent to judicial custody as the CID crime that is investigating the scam did not seek further remand.
Kotadiya was arrested from Maharashtra's Dhule on September 9 by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch. He was found living in an under construction site that belonged to a family friend of his. He had been absconding after his name cropped up in May in connection with the Bitcoin case in which 176 bitcoins was extorted from Surat builder Shailesh Bhatt. Bhatt had filed a case after he was kidnapped and the bitcoins extorted from him.
The CID which was investigating the matter had first served summons to Kotadiya on May 4. Two more summons had been issued later but Kotadiya did not show up. He, however, had released a press statement claiming that he was being framed and had accused Shailesh Bhatt of being the main conspirator of the whole scam. He alleged that Bhatt himself had kidnapped and extorted 2,300 coins from two investors. On May 9, he had also faxed a letter to the CID Crime stating that he was out of station and would not be able to return by May 11 (the date by which he had promised to respond to the agency's summons).
