India’s Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Ayush Varshney, co‑founder and CTO of Darwin Labs, at Mumbai airport as he allegedly tried to flee the country; authorities say Darwin Labs provided the technology backbone for the decade‑long GainBitcoin fraud. The detention is being described as the first major arrest in a high‑value crypto Ponzi/investment fraud probe that reportedly involved multi‑thousand‑crore rupee losses.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Ayush Varshney, identified as co‑founder and chief technology officer of Darwin Labs, at Mumbai’s airport as he allegedly attempted to leave for Sri Lanka. Indian investigators allege Darwin Labs supplied critical technological infrastructure used by the GainBitcoin scheme, a long‑running crypto investment fraud that defrauded thousands of retail investors and involves purported losses measured in thousands of crores of rupees. Authorities described the arrest as the first major detention in a decade‑old, high‑value probe into an alleged Ponzi‑style operation that used false promises, fabricated exchange and wallet interfaces, and complex corporate structures to launder proceeds and evade scrutiny. The CBI action signals intensified enforcement attention on platforms and tech providers that enable large crypto scams, and sources indicate investigators will pursue both criminal charges and asset‑recovery avenues while coordinating with financial intelligence and international partners as the case progresses.