On June 25, 2025, at precisely 3:19 PM, Mr. Nikhil Kumar Mahanta, Chief Operating Officer of Haldia Water Services Pvt. Ltd., received a WhatsApp message from a number appearing to be that of his Managing Director. The message urgently instructed a transfer of ₹1.98 crore to an HDFC Bank account belonging to a Bengaluru-based company, Slamione IT Solution Pvt. Ltd. Trusting the source, Mr. Mahanta executed the RTGS transfer.
Only after the transaction did suspicions arise due to inconsistencies in the Managing Director’s communication style. Realizing he had been duped, Mr. Mahanta approached the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal with assistance from West Bengal’s Cyber Crime Wing.
Swift Action from West Bengal Cyber Police
The cyber unit, under the leadership of DIG Rathod Amitkumar Bharat (IPS) and ACP Osama Bakhtiar, immediately engaged with HDFC Bank’s Domlur Branch in Bengaluru. Within hours, ₹1.31 crore was marked as a lien and frozen in the fraudster’s account, buying precious time to reverse the damage.
“Our team’s rapid response and technical tracing ensured that most of the defrauded amount was not only frozen but refunded within 13 days,” said DIG Rathod. “It was a textbook case of cyber forensic agility and cooperation across states.”
Arrests and Breakthroughs in Investigation
Two suspects, Mantu Das and Papai Das, residents of Bamongola in Malda, were arrested during the probe. They were allegedly responsible for supplying the SIM card used in the impersonation attempt. Police believe they are part of an inter-state gang that specializes in cyber impersonation and financial frauds.
The investigators also confirmed that the fraudsters had created a fake WhatsApp profile that mimicked the Managing Director’s digital identity, exploiting trust and organizational hierarchy to trick the COO into transferring funds.
Lessons for Corporate Cyber Vigilance
This case highlights the growing danger of impersonation-based cyber scams targeting corporate executives. While ₹1.31 crore was refunded swiftly, the total amount defrauded stood at ₹1.98 crore, and investigations are ongoing to recover the balance.
Experts warn that businesses must implement multi-factor verification protocols, especially for large financial transfers triggered by informal communication channels like WhatsApp.
DIG Rathod Amitkumar Bharat urged all organizations to remain vigilant:
Every organization must recognize that cyber threats aren’t abstract, they are real, evolving, and capable of targeting even the most secure-looking systems. Our agencies stand ready, but proactive security measures from companies are the first line of defense.