Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 2: In a major breakthrough in a high-profile cyber fraud case, the Maharashtra Nodal Cyber Police have arrested a 27-year-old cryptocurrency trader from Sonipat, Haryana, for his alleged role in laundering Rs 2 crore siphoned off in a fake WhatsApp boss scam. The case has uncovered a deep and intricate network of cyber criminals operating across state lines and crypto platforms.
The elaborate fraud began in early April 2025, when the accountant of a Mumbai-based electronics manufacturing firm received messages on WhatsApp from a number displaying the photo of the company’s Managing Director. Believing the instructions to be genuine, the accountant was duped into transferring Rs 95 lakh each to two companies – PR Education & Immigration Pvt Ltd and AK Infra – for what was described as an urgent project and legal fees.
The fraud came to light when a third transaction worth Rs 90 lakh to a jewellery firm was halted after the accountant grew suspicious and contacted the actual MD, who denied having issued any such instructions. By then, Rs 1.90 crore had already vanished from the firm’s account.
What followed was a meticulous probe led by Maharashtra’s cyber sleuths, who unearthed a 13-layered laundering trail. The initial transfer into AK Infra’s ICICI Bank account led investigators to as many as 34 different bank accounts used to route and mask the funds.
One key transaction involved Rs 19 lakh being moved into a Punjab National Bank account in Greater Noida under the name Nisha Rana Rathi. From there, the amount was withdrawn and funnelled into Spice Money, a fintech platform. The company later confirmed that the deposit was claimed by one of its distributors in Sonipat, Haryana.
Further investigation revealed that the cash had been handed over to Suraj Surender Dahiya, a crypto trader from Sonipat, on instructions passed through an acquaintance based in Uttar Pradesh. Dahiya was traced to Mahape in Navi Mumbai and arrested from an office premises.
Sources in the investigation told that Dahiya remained evasive and inconsistent during interrogation. However, evidence points to his direct role in converting stolen cash into cryptocurrency and profiting from the process.
Police have registered cases under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating, forgery, and breach of trust, along with Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act. Authorities have widened the investigation to trace other accomplices and recover the siphoned funds.
The cyber crime cell also revealed that the fraudulent funds were partly converted into USDT (Tether) – a cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar – using global platforms like Binance. Another suspect, Dheeraj Paswan, disclosed that crypto transactions were facilitated by a man named Raubikumar in exchange for cash.
Officials believe the entire operation was the work of a well-structured cybercrime syndicate with roots in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and deep links in the underground crypto world. Efforts are currently on to identify the kingpin behind the WhatsApp impersonation and the layered laundering trail.
The case has once again raised alarm over rising cyber frauds in India, especially those involving identity theft and crypto laundering, as investigators urge businesses to implement stricter verification protocols and remain vigilant against digital impersonation tactics.