ED Raids Premises Of Karnataka Congress MLA N A Haris Sons In Crypto Money Laundering Case

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches on Monday at approximately a dozen premises in Bengaluru as part of a money laundering investigation linked to cryptocurrency crimes. The raids targeted locations connected to the two sons of Karnataka Congress MLA N A Haris, along with others, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The premises searched included those belonging to Mohammed Haris Nalapad and Omar Farook Nalapad, sons of the Congress legislator from the Shantinagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru. Searches were also carried out at sites linked to an alleged crypto hacker identified as Srikrishna Ramesh, also known as Sriki.

According to officials who spoke to PTI, the money laundering case originates from earlier Karnataka Police FIRs and chargesheets filed in connection with a 2017 hacking incident. In that case, Sriki and his associates were accused of hacking national and international websites and stealing bitcoins.

The two sons of the MLA are alleged to be beneficiaries of the proceeds generated from this crypto-related crime. They are suspected to be close associates of Srikrishna Ramesh.

As reported by Times of India, the investigation has revealed a modus operandi that involved hacking websites and crypto wallets to steal virtual digital assets (VDAs). These stolen assets were allegedly sold through trading platforms, with the proceeds routed through multiple bank accounts to layer the transactions before being utilised for personal gains.

ED officials stated that further investigation is underway into the case. The raids mark a significant development in the probe into the alleged crypto money laundering network in Karnataka. 

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