Bengaluru: In a major development in the high-profile Bitcoin scam case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday raided the residences of Mohammed Haris Nalapad and Omar Farook Nalapad, sons of Karnataka Congress MLA NA Harris, as part of a wider crackdown across 12 locations in the state.

The searches also targeted Srikrishna Ramesh, alias Sriki, the prime accused in the case. According to sources in the ED’s Delhi unit, the Nalapad brothers are alleged to be close associates of Sriki and among the main beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime.

The investigation, being carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, is based on multiple FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Karnataka Police. The case involves serious allegations, including hacking of national and international websites, theft of bitcoins, extortion, and violations of the NDPS Act.

Officials said the accused followed a complex modus operandi: hacking websites and crypto wallets to steal virtual digital assets (VDAs) and sensitive data, routing the stolen assets through crypto trading platforms, and then layering the proceeds via bank accounts before using them for personal gain.