Crypto-currency transactions of more than Rs 8 lakh detected

Representational picture

In perhaps the first-of-its-kind case in Uttar Pradesh, probe agencies on Sunday said they have detected transactions of over Rs 8 lakh in a crypto-currency (bitcoin) account, which was mentioned in the alleged extortion messages received by 22 MLAs of the state recently.

The state lawmakers, most of them from the ruling BJP, recently claimed to have received text or WhatsApp messages asking them to pay '10 lakh in bitcoin otherwise their families would be eliminated.

"During the investigation, a crypto-currency (bitcoin) account, mentioned in the threat messages to legislators, has been detected. Transactions of 1.60368338 bitcoins ('8.16 lakh) were done in this account. And the entire amount was later transferred to some other account," STF sources said.

May 23
Day an SIT was constituted to probe the matter

Rs 10lakh
Amount each MLA was asked to pay through messages

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