An 18-year-old Class 11 dropout has been arrested for allegedly creating fake mobile apps that helped cybercriminals steal more than Rs 64 crore from people across India.
The accused, Rohit Virendrasinh Shakya, was arrested by the Surat City Cyber Crime Cell from a hotel in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Built Fake Apps Using AI
According to the police, Shakya became a skilled coder at a young age despite leaving school after Class 11.
Using artificial intelligence (AI) and Telegram, he allegedly created fake mobile applications that looked almost identical to genuine banking, government and private company apps.
Police said he supplied these apps to cybercrime gangs in Jharkhand’s Jamtara, Haryana and Rajasthan. He allegedly charged around Rs 15,000 per month for his services.
How the Fraud Worked
Investigators said Shakya developed two types of apps.
One was a fake app that victims unknowingly installed on their phones. The other was an “admin app” that allowed cybercriminals to remotely access OTPs, bank details and other personal information.
The fake apps copied the names of trusted services, including SBI, PNB, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, Union Bank, UCO Bank, BigBasket, American Express, Aadhaar services, PM Kisan and RTO challan payment portals.
Fraud Came to Light After Surat Complaint
The investigation began after a Surat resident reported losing Rs 5 lakh in May this year.
The victim received a fake “PNB One.apk” file on WhatsApp and believed it was the official Punjab National Bank app. After installing it, his phone was compromised, and Rs 5 lakh was transferred from his bank account.
The victim reported the fraud through the cyber helpline (1930), following which Surat Police registered a case.
Police Found a Large Cybercrime Network
During the investigation, police discovered what they described as a well-organised cybercrime network.
Digital forensic analysis showed that Shakya had allegedly created 121 fake APK applications. These apps were installed on 21,672 mobile phones across the country.
Police said 2,928 devices were fully compromised, leading to 54,094 fraudulent banking transactions worth about Rs 64.38 crore.
Fake RTO challan apps were linked to the highest number of fraud cases, followed by fake SBI and PNB apps.
Investigation Continues
Police have seized two mobile phones and a laptop from Shakya for forensic examination.
Investigators are now trying to find out whether more cybercrime groups across the country were using his software and whether other people were involved in the network.
