Mumbai, July 29: The DB Marg police in Mumbai conducted a significant operation on Wednesday, apprehending a suspect from West Bengal involved in interstate cybercrime using counterfeit APK (Android Package Kit) files.
The accused allegedly defrauded individuals of approximately ₹63 crore by posing as Mahanagar Gas. Authorities seized 10 mobile phones, one laptop, seven SIM cards, four credit/debit cards, and a database containing confidential banking information of 37,200 individuals from the suspect.
This action was initiated based on a complaint stating that fake messages were sent in the name of Mahanagar Gas Limited, coercing victims into installing the fraudulent APK file. The complainant reported a financial loss of ₹70,500 due to the theft of banking information through the fake APK. The police have registered a case under the BNS and IT Act and have commenced an investigation, with further inquiries and actions ongoing.
In a related incident, another significant case of cyber fraud emerged from New Delhi on Tuesday. The Cyber Police Station of the Central District successfully dismantled a ‘mule account syndicate’ involved in organized cybercrime. This gang provided bank accounts to cybercriminals, both domestically and internationally, which were used for online scams and other cyber offenses.
The racket had been operational for the past three to four years, facilitating transactions exceeding ₹70 crore through hundreds of bank accounts associated with fraud across the country. Six key members of the gang were arrested, including a branch manager from Suryauday Small Finance Bank.
Additionally, four officials and associates linked to IndusInd Bank were also apprehended for allegedly aiding in the opening of fake bank accounts by disregarding Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. During the investigation, police recovered 248 bank account kits, 38 SIM cards, 22 mobile phones, rubber stamps from 28 fake companies, 55 debit and credit cards, ₹1 lakh in cash, and a car.
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