Surat Cyber Crime arrests Haryana man in ₹40 lakh boss scam case
Synopsis
A Surat cyber crime team crossed state lines to arrest a Haryana man who allegedly supplied bank accounts for a ₹40 lakh 'boss scam' — one that started with a WhatsApp ZIP file and ended with an accountant transferring company funds to fraudsters. One of the same accounts turned up in a separate ₹87.60 lakh fraud in Maharashtra, pointing to a wider account-supply network.
Key Takeaways
Naveen Jat , 26 , from Haryana , was arrested by the Surat City Cyber Crime Branch for allegedly supplying bank accounts used in a ₹40 lakh boss scam .
Fraudsters sent a malicious ZIP file via WhatsApp , created a fake profile impersonating the company owner, and tricked an accountant into transferring ₹40 lakh from an IndusInd Bank account.
The accused allegedly received a commission of ₹40,000 for handing over the accounts; he had paid ₹5,000 to procure them.
A check on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal linked one account to a separate ₹87.60 lakh boss scam in Maharashtra .
So far, ₹18.5 lakh has been refunded to the complainant; co-accused Amit Chamar , 21 , from Hisar, Haryana , was arrested earlier.
Police advise dialling helpline 1930 immediately after any cyber fraud to improve chances of fund recovery.
The Surat City Cyber Crime Branch has arrested Naveen Jat, a 26-year-old from Haryana, for allegedly facilitating a ₹40 lakh 'boss scam' by supplying bank accounts used in cyber fraud, police said on Thursday, 15 October 2026. The arrest follows a technical investigation that traced the accused across state lines.
How the Scam Unfolded
According to police, fraudsters sent a ZIP file containing malicious code to the complainant's mobile phone via WhatsApp from an unknown number. The attackers then created a fake WhatsApp profile using the complainant's photograph and impersonated the company owner to contact the firm's accountant.
After extracting information about the company's bank balance, the fraudster allegedly convinced the accountant to transfer ₹40 lakh from an IndusInd Bank account. The IndusInd Bank current account reportedly recorded transactions worth ₹53.06 lakh between 8 April and 24 May 2026.
The Accused and Their Roles
Naveen Jat allegedly arranged three bank accounts for use in the fraud through a firm registered in the name of a co-accused, Amit Chamar, after being lured with a promise of being sent to Dubai. Police said Naveen paid a commission of ₹5,000 to obtain the accounts and subsequently handed them over to an absconding accused for a commission of ₹40,000.
Amit Chamar, 21, a casual labourer from Hisar district, Haryana, had been arrested earlier in the same case. During the investigation, seven bank accounts from different banks were found on Naveen's mobile phone.
Wider Fraud Network Discovered
A check on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal revealed that one of the accounts on Naveen's phone was linked to a separate alleged boss scam in Maharashtra involving ₹87.60 lakh. This suggests the accused may have been part of a broader network supplying bank accounts to multiple cyber fraud operations across states.
Notably, so far ₹18.5 lakh has been refunded to the complainant, according to police.
Legal Action and the Investigating Team
A case was registered at the Surat Cyber Crime Police Station under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2008. The arrest was carried out by a team led by Inspector N.R. Patel, with Police Sub-Inspector V.B. Prajapati and other personnel, who were dispatched to Haryana after the technical trail pointed there.
Police Advisory for Citizens and Businesses
Police have urged the public not to open ZIP files received via WhatsApp from unknown numbers. Company employees have been advised to verify any fund transfer requests by calling the owner directly on their regular mobile number — even when the instruction appears to originate from a known WhatsApp account.
Victims of financial cyber fraud are encouraged to immediately dial the national cybercrime helpline 1930, as swift reporting significantly improves the chances of freezing fraudulently transferred funds before they are moved further.
Point of View
Earning a few thousand rupees while unknowingly — or knowingly — becoming the financial plumbing for multi-lakh frauds. The link to a separate ₹87.60 lakh Maharashtra scam through a single account suggests these are not isolated actors but nodes in a coordinated network. Law enforcement's cross-state reach is improving, but the deeper problem — lax know-your-customer enforcement that allows current accounts to be opened in shell-firm names — remains unaddressed. Until banks are held accountable for account misuse, arresting foot soldiers will not dismantle the architecture.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'boss scam' and how does it work?
A boss scam is a type of cyber fraud in which criminals impersonate a company's senior executive to trick employees — typically accountants — into transferring funds. In this Surat case, fraudsters first sent a malicious ZIP file via WhatsApp to compromise the target's phone, then created a fake profile using the owner's photograph to contact the accountant and authorise a ₹40 lakh transfer.
Who has been arrested in the Surat ₹40 lakh cyber fraud case?
Two people have been arrested so far. Naveen Jat, 26, from Haryana, was arrested by the Surat City Cyber Crime Branch on 15 October 2026 for allegedly supplying the bank accounts used in the fraud. His co-accused, Amit Chamar, 21, a casual labourer from Hisar district, Haryana, had been arrested earlier in the investigation. A third accused remains absconding.
How much money has been recovered for the fraud victim?
Police said ₹18.5 lakh has so far been refunded to the complainant out of the ₹40 lakh allegedly defrauded. Prompt reporting to the national cybercrime helpline 1930 is credited with enabling partial fund recovery by allowing authorities to freeze accounts before transfers could be moved further.
Is this fraud connected to any other cases?
Yes. A check on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal revealed that one of the seven bank accounts found on Naveen Jat's mobile phone was linked to a separate boss scam in Maharashtra involving ₹87.60 lakh. This indicates the accused may have been supplying accounts to multiple fraud operations across states.
How can individuals and companies protect themselves from boss scams?
Police advise never opening ZIP files or unknown attachments received via WhatsApp from unfamiliar numbers. Company employees should verify any fund transfer request by calling the senior executive directly on their known personal mobile number — even if the instruction appears to come from the executive's WhatsApp account. Victims should call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 immediately to maximise the chances of freezing fraudulent transactions.
