Former MLA was hiding at the location since two months; officials traced him with the help of human intelligence
According to an officer of the Ahmedabad crime branch team that arrested former MLA, Nalin Kotadiya — one of the main accused in the multi-crore Bitcoin extortion and abducted case — from the state of Maharashtra on Sunday morning, Kotadiya was hiding under a construction site located near the Amalner railway station since 10 days.
On Saturday night, a senior crime branch officer received a tip-off from a source about Kotadiya's whereabouts. After verifying the information, a team of six officers was dispatched to the spot late night on Saturday. The construction site belonged to a Gujarat-based family.
According to the crime branch officer, Kotadiya's driver was nabbed in Mumbai around two months ago. The interrogation then revealed that around 20 days ago, Kotadiya was living in hiding in his driver's house in the city. Kotadiya fled the place as soon as he found that the police is around.
Human intelligence revealed that Kotadiya had been changing his location every 20-25 days. He was hiding at places which belonged to some of his relative's friends, and people who had a connection with Amreli.
Deepen Bhadran, DCP, crime branch, said, "Based on a human intelligence report, we were able to trace the hideout location of Kotadiya. We had come to know in the past that he was hiding in Maharashtra and was staying at a Gujarati family's house. He was changing his location constantly." "Kotadiya will be handed over to the CID crime branch for further investigation."
TIMELINE OF NALIN KOTADIYA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE CASE
- February 11: Shailesh Bhatt accused Amreli policemen of allegedly kidnapping him from Gandhinagar and extorting bitcoin worth Rs 12 crore
- April 8: CID lodged a case against Amreli SP Jagdish Patel, police inspector, Anant Patel, and 8 others, after Bhatt lodged a complaint
- April 22: Patel was detained by the Gujarat CID for questioning his alleged role in the kidnapping and extorting bitcoins from the Surat-based builder Shalish Bhatt
- April 23: Patel was arrested in the matter after the investigation revealed that he was the one who had directed his Amreli policemen to kidnap Bhatt. Patel was suspended by Shivanand Jha, DGP of Gujarat police
- May 4: Kotadiya was summoned by the CID crime officials in the afternoon at around 3 pm, but he didn’t show up
- May 5: The CID issued the second summons to Kotadiya. Kotadiya’s family claimed that he had left the house on May 4 and hadn’t returned
- May 7: Kotadiya released a press note claiming that all the allegations levelled against him in the Bitcoin case were false and that he is innocent and is being framed
- May 9: Kotadiya faxed a letter to the CID stating that he is out of town and was not able to reach Ahmedabad. He stated that he will reach CID office by May 11 or 12 morning. Kotadiya did not return
- May 13: A lookout notice was issued for Kotadiya. Officials conducted a search operation in 25 suspected locations in Ahmedabad, Surat and Amreli but he was not be found
- May 14: A report on the arrest warrant of Kotadiya was submitted to the court by CID.
- May 17: The sessions court issued a non-bailable warrant against Kotadiya
- June 18: The CID (crime) had moved court after Kotadiya failed to appear before it for questioning despite repeated summons, and efforts to trace him failed. The court accepted CID’s application and declared the ex-MLA as a proclaimed offender, and directed him to appear before it within 30 days
- September 9: On Sunday afternoon, Kotadiya was arrested by the Ahmedabad crime branch with the assistance of CID from an under construction site located near Amalner railway station in Maharastra
NUMBER OF CASES FILED
Case 1
On April 8, a case was filed against Amreli SP, Jagdish Patel, Anant Patel, and 8 others for allegedly kidnapping Shailesh Bhatt, and extorting bitcoins worth Rs 12 crore. It was later revealed that Nalin Kotadiya was one of the main accused in the case.
Case 2
On May 19, a case was lodged against Shailesh Bhatt, and 9 of his associates with the Surat CID for extortion and kidnapping where cryptocurrencies worth nearly Rs 155 crores were taken from two Bitconnect employees.
Case 3
Another case was lodged with the CID against the head of Bitconnect, Divyesh Darji along with Satish Kumbhani, Dhawal Mavani and Suresh Gorasiya for siphoning of crores of rupees after luring people to invest their bitcoins in the company.
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