Ex-MLA Nalin Kotadiya moves Gujarat HC, challenges conviction in 2018 bitcoin extortion case

Former Gujarat MLA Nalin Kotadiya has moved Gujarat High Court challenging the order of Ahmedabad Sessions Court which led to his conviction in 2018 bitcoin extortion and kidnapping case. Kotadiya has filed an appeal against the conviction order before the high court.

Earlier on August 29, this year, Ahmedabad Sessions Court Judge B B Jadav had sentenced Kotadiya and several others to life imprisonment for their alleged involvement in kidnapping builder Shailesh Bhatt from Gandhinagar and extorting 200 bitcoins worth Rs 12 crore. 

Kotadiya has filed a plea before the high court seeking suspension of sentence.

In 2012, Kotadiya was elected MLA from the Dhari Assembly constituency, representing the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP), founded by former chief minister Keshubhai Patel.

Builder Shailesh Bhatt had alleged that policemen from Amreli kidnapped him from Gandhinagar on February 9, 2018 and extorted bitcoins. Bhatt, in his application to the home department, had alleged that Kotadiya and the then Amreli SP Jagdish Patel were involved in the conspiracy to extort bitcoins from him.

On the instructions of the home department, the State CID-Crime had filed an FIR against Kotadiya and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for kidnapping, extortion and criminal conspiracy.

After evading arrest for several months, Kotadiya was finally arrested in September 2018 from Jalgaon in north Maharashtra.