Not my voice, fake messages: Supriya Sule denies 'crypto funds for polls' charge

Supriya Sule on 'Bitcoin Scam' Allegations: The NCP (SP) leader dismissed the allegations a day after BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi played audio clips at a presser, accusing Supriya Sule and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole of indulging in illegal bitcoin transactions to change the results of the Assembly polls.

In Short

• Supriya Sule denies BJP's Bitcoin allegations
• Sule claims voice notes and messages are fake
• Allegations involve Sule and Nana Patole in Bitcoin scheme

Lok Sabha MP and NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule on Wednesday dismissed BJP allegations that she was involved in illegal Bitcoin transactions to influence the outcome of the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

"Not my voice. All these voice notes and messages are fake," Sule told reporters today after casting her vote for the high-stakes elections.

The NCP (SP) leader dismissed the allegations a day after BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi played audio clips at a press conference, accusing Sule and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole of conspiring with a former police commissioner and a dealer to indulge in the illegal transactions in order to sway the election outcome to favour the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The MVA comprises NCP (SP), Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

Sule further said, "A fake voice was generated. The police will find out who the perpetrator is. It is neither my voice nor that of Nana Patole's."

"I have spoken against Bitcoin and crypto currency. I am somebody who has raised very serious issues about it. I am very happy to answer them (BJP). I am more than happy because I am somebody who believes in complete transparency... I am very happy to answer any question of the BJP," the NCP(SP) leader said, adding that she has faith in the Maharashtra Police to not arrest her based on the allegations without proof.

She also confirmed sending a defamation notice to Sudhanshu Trivedi. "I am ready to come out and answer Sudhanshu Trivedi anytime in whichever city he wants, on whichever channel he wants, at whatever time he wants, wherever he calls me, I will come and I will answer him. I will reply no, lies, all the allegations are false."

"I do not know anything about this and that is why I first complained to cyber crime and I sent the defamation notice," Sule noted.

Also speaking to the media on the issue, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said he knows his sister Supriya Sule's voice and also supports an enquiry into the allegations which will bring out the truth.

"Supriya is my sister and I have worked with Nana Patole also. I know their voices. I am sure there is no kind of dubbing happening in the audio clips. I support an enquiry," he said.

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar has backed his daughter, saying that only the BJP was capable of making such baseless allegations.

"The person who made the allegations was in jail for several months and taking that person along and making false allegations, only BJP can do this," he told reporters.

BJP'S 'CRYPTO FUNDS FOR POLLS' CHARGE

In his press conference on Tuesday, BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi sought replies from Supriya Sule and Congress on the alleged audio clips, saying the latest development had "unmasked" the opposition MVA.

"A dealer contacted a former police officer who had been jailed earlier and told him that he (the alleged dealer) wanted to do some transactions of bitcoin in cash. The police officer declined his request. But the dealer tried to convince him as a few 'big people' were involved in this matter, and he allegedly took the names of Nana Patole and Supriya Sule. When the police officer didn't show any trust in this, the dealer sent him the audio clip," he said.

Trivedi also shared screenshots of chats between the former police official and the dealer, which mention the need for money for the elections by the MVA leaders.

The charge against Sule and Patole came only hours after the opposition accused the BJP general secretary in Maharashtra, Vinod Tawde of being involved in a "cash for votes" scam.

Tawde and the BJP have rejected the charge.