An 81-year-old retired professor in Ahmedabad has allegedly lost ₹10.77 lakh in a cyber fraud involving a suspicious Android application disguised as the government’s mParivahan app. The money was withdrawn through multiple unauthorised transactions from his ICICI Bank and Bank of Baroda accounts on October 17, prompting an investigation by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police.
The complainant, Suresh Chandra Pancholi, is a retired economics professor and former principal of Sahajanand College in Ambawadi.
How Did the Fraud Begin?
According to the complaint, Pancholi received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number through a group named ‘Government Recruitment and Scheme 544’.
The message allegedly contained an Android application package (APK) file named mParivahan.
Pancholi told police that the application appeared to have been installed on his mobile phone, although he was uncertain whether he had downloaded it himself.
He suspected that the suspicious application allowed unknown individuals to access his device and conduct financial transactions without his knowledge.
How Was ₹7.47 Lakh Withdrawn?
The suspected fraud came to light on the afternoon of October 17 when Pancholi received a transaction notification from ICICI Bank.
He informed his neighbour, Pratik Zaveri, and both visited the bank’s Satellite branch to verify the transaction.
According to the complaint, the relationship manager confirmed that ₹7.47 lakh had been transferred through multiple transactions.
Pancholi was advised to report the matter through the national cybercrime helpline, 1930.
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What Happened to the Second Account?
After discovering the ICICI Bank transactions, Pancholi contacted his son, Sameer.
They subsequently visited Bank of Baroda’s Manekbagh branch, where bank officials informed them that another ₹3.29 lakh had allegedly been transferred from his salary account.
The combined amount withdrawn from both accounts reached ₹10.77 lakh.
Where Was the Money Transferred?
The complaint identified multiple transactions involving accounts linked to HDFC Bank, City Union Bank and Airtel Payments Bank.
Investigators are examining the financial trail and the account holders who allegedly received the money.
The precise mechanism through which the suspected application may have enabled the transactions has not been established.
What Action Have Police Taken?
Pancholi filed an online cybercrime complaint following the initial discovery, after which his ICICI Bank account was blocked. He later approached the Ahmedabad Cyber Cell of the Crime Branch with his son and requested an investigation.
The complaint identified the sender of the APK file, the mobile number holder and the recipient account holders as individuals whose possible roles require examination.
Police have initiated an investigation.
What Does This Mean?
The case highlights the financial risks associated with suspicious APK files circulated through WhatsApp under the names of government applications. Although the exact method of compromise remains under investigation, the incident underscores the importance of verifying application sources and promptly reporting unauthorised banking transactions.
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