Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 19 (ANI): In a latest update surrounding the ongoing investigation in the Bitcoin scam case against businessman Raj Kundra, the court has scheduled the next day of hearing for Febraury 20, 2026.

Prashant Patil, the advocate representing Raj Kundra, spoke to ANI and shared details on the proceedings.

'Raj Kundra is cooperating with the Enforcement Directorate. Today, we filed our Vakalatnama in the Special PMLA court after ED had issued a summons to him to appear. We had filed a petition before the court requesting that a copy of the chargesheet be provided to us. The Special PMLA court has issued a direction under which we will receive a copy of the chargesheet tomorrow. Next date of hearing in this case is 20th February,' he added.

The case dates back to April 2024 when ED attached properties worth Rs 97.79 crores belonging to Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty, alleging that they had collected huge amounts of funds in the form of Bitcoins.

Also, they had made false promises of 10 pc returns to the public in the form of Bitcoins. ED revealed that Raj Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from the mastermind of Gain Bitcoin Ponzi Scam Amit Bharadwaj.

'Ripu Sudan Kundra, alias Raj Kundra, has received proceeds of crime in the form of Bitcoins and he continued to be in possession and enjoyment of the said proceeds of crime. He has received 285 Bitcoins valued at Rs 150,47,30,175 (at rate of Rs 52,79,755 per bitcoin as on date i.e. 16/04/2024). He deliberately refused to divulge the wallet addresses and failed to surrender the proceeds of crime received from accused Amit Bharadwaj. He has not only acquired/received the proceeds of crime from the criminal activities, but in order to layer the transactions so as to give colour of genuine transaction, he has done sale transaction with his wife at a rate which is far below market rate to disguise the origin of such funds obtained by commission of criminal activities for the purpose of concealing or disguising the illegal origin of the said funds and to layer it with intent to evade the legal consequences of his actions,' as per the official complaint document.

At the time, Raj Kundra spoke to ANI and questioned the ED over attaching his properties in the case.

'In the attachment order, it is clearly written that we have no evidence of any funds going to Raj Kundra. There was a crypto king called Amit Bharadwaj, who was a respected businessman. I met him, he had to do a lot of work in bitcoin mining, and I knew a friend in Israel who is a great expert in this technology. So I brought both of them together,' Kundra said.

He further questioned ED authority in the investigation against him, saying, 'A British citizen (Raj Kundra), I met him (Amit Bhardwaj) in Dubai, and there was an Israeli party, so how is ED involved in this?'

In view of the recent developments, the businessman-actor is yet to react to the matter. (ANI)