Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has denied anticipatory bail to D M Prashanth Babu, a police inspector implicated in the Bitcoin case. Babu, who previously served as the head of the Technical Support Centre in the Central Crime Branch (CCB), is currently a deputy superintendent of police.

Forensic Evidence Reveals Suspicious Activity

Justice M G Uma observed that the Cyber Forensic Analysis Report revealed that data from the Apple MacBooks belonging to accused Srikrishna alias Sriki was transferred to Babu’s desktop at the Technical Centre. The prosecution alleges that Babu handled 4,000 Bitcoins during data copying in November 2020, a period when one Bitcoin was valued at approximately $29,000 (around Rs 21.2 lakh), totaling roughly Rs 850 crore.

Srikrishna’s Role and Criminal Background

Srikrishna, identified as a serial hacker, is considered a central figure in the Bitcoin case that emerged in 2020. Four criminal cases against him were registered in 2020 across various Bengaluru police stations and were transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in May 2023.

Babu’s Legal Struggle and Case Details

Babu contended that he was first detained on January 24, 2024, and subsequently remanded in police custody. He was later issued a notice on June 28, 2024, under CrPC Section 41A, requiring his appearance before the investigating officer. Babu sought anticipatory bail from the High Court due to fears of arrest.

 SIT’s Findings and Evidence

Special Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar revealed that after Srikrishna’s arrest, two MacBooks were seized in November 2020 and handed over to Babu in a sealed condition. The SIT received a forensic report in July 2023, indicating that the seized devices were tampered with, despite being in a sealed state. The report also suggested that Babu played a role in installing a crypto hardware wallet and data-wiping applications.

Court’s Observations and Ruling

Justice Uma highlighted that the installation of a data-wiping tool, which prevents forensic recovery of deleted files, was linked to Babu’s user account. The court noted the presence of deleted files associated with Babu’s username and emphasized that Babu, as the head of the Technical Support Centre, must provide a reasonable explanation for the discrepancies.

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