International drug trafficker Banmeet Narula is still holding onto the secret of 4250 Bitcoins (worth approximately 36 billion rupees). These Bitcoins are still being traced on the blockchain. The ED (Enforcement Directorate) now wants to interrogate Banmeet in jail to recover them. For this purpose, on Friday, Special Judge Mahesh Chandra Kaushiba’s court granted the ED permission to interrogate Banmeet Narula. The court also instructed the jail superintendent to make the necessary arrangements.
Banmeet Narula, a resident of Haldwani, was operating a drug trafficking business through the dark web while living in the UK. He came under the radar of US investigative agencies and was arrested in the UK in 2019. He was then extradited to the US, where he was convicted. After completing his sentence, Banmeet was deported from the US. He was returning to his home in Haldwani in April 2024 when his brother, Parminder Narula, was arrested by the ED.
His brother was also involved in the illegal drug trade, operating under the guise of his pharmaceutical factory. The investigation revealed that he was also involved in Banmeet’s business. Upon learning of his brother’s arrest, Banmeet went into hiding, but the ED arrested him a few days later.
The ED also recovered 268 Bitcoins from his wallet, which were worth 130 crore rupees at that time. Last year, the ED filed a charge sheet against both brothers. Meanwhile, the ED’s investigation revealed that Banmeet Narula’s 4250 Bitcoins are still on the blockchain.
These are being traced, but since Banmeet knows the passwords and other details, the ED wants to interrogate him in jail. For this, the ED had filed an application in the Special Court. According to normal rules, interrogation is not permitted after the charge sheet has been filed. The ED cited a Supreme Court ruling, based on which the Special Court granted permission to the ED
