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A Mumbai magistrate court has granted bail to a 36-year-old software developer accused of creating 2,805 malicious Android application files allegedly linked to a nationwide cyber fraud network involving more than ₹150 crore, observing that there was no prima facie evidence directly connecting him to the cheating case that led to his arrest.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Dattatray Shankarrao Khedekar granted bail to Pankaj Avdhesh Lal Gupta, an Indore-based developer arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch’s Property Cell following a complaint from a 72-year-old Byculla resident who lost ₹5.62 lakh after downloading a fraudulent application.
The court observed that the prosecution had not established that Gupta personally sent the malicious application to the complainant or received the money allegedly stolen from his account.
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Court Finds No Direct Link Between Developer and Complainant’s Loss
While examining the bail application, the court noted that there was no direct allegation that Gupta had sent the APK file to the complainant or modified it to facilitate the specific fraud.
The court also observed that the ₹5.62 lakh allegedly withdrawn from the victim’s account had neither been recovered from Gupta nor traced to his bank account.
It further noted that the possibility of third parties modifying and misusing the application files without Gupta’s knowledge or authorisation required examination through technical evidence.
According to the court, the material presented at the bail stage did not establish Gupta’s direct involvement in cheating the complainant.
The magistrate also considered that investigators had already seized the relevant electronic devices and other material, reducing concerns about possible evidence tampering.
The court consequently granted Gupta bail.
The decision does not amount to an acquittal or a final determination of the allegations against him.
Prosecution Cites 2,805 APK Files and Nationwide Fraud Complaints
Opposing the bail plea filed through advocate Sunil Pandey, the prosecution alleged that Gupta had developed approximately 2,805 malicious Android application files and sold them to cybercrime gangs.
The applications were allegedly disguised as legitimate services, including senior citizen card verification, pension and life certificate verification, electronic traffic challans, credit card updates and the PM Kisan Yojana.
Police claimed that Gupta supplied the files to fraud networks, including groups operating in Bihar and Jharkhand, for ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 each.
Investigators also identified 9,673 mobile numbers allegedly associated with the applications.
According to police, 1,074 complaints linked to the files had been registered through the national cybercrime helpline, including 142 in Maharashtra and 36 in Mumbai.
The investigation also identified 88 registered cases across the country, including eight in Maharashtra and five in Mumbai.
Police estimated that the wider suspected fraud network was linked to losses exceeding ₹150 crore, while identified cases involved losses of more than ₹15.75 crore.
The prosecution argued that the investigation remained at a crucial stage and that Gupta’s release could create risks of evidence tampering or absconding.
However, the court noted that investigators had already seized four mobile phones, three hard disks and a CPU from the accused.
Fake Senior Citizen Application Triggered Mumbai Investigation
The case originated from a complaint by a 72-year-old resident of Byculla who allegedly received a WhatsApp call on August 13 from a man identifying himself as Dinesh Kumar, a senior manager with the Bank of India.
The caller offered him a senior citizen card, purportedly available to people aged 70 and above, with a limit of ₹5 lakh.
He then sent an APK file and instructed the complainant to download it.
After installing the application, the elderly man entered his banking and debit card details as directed.
The following afternoon, he discovered that ₹5.62 lakh had been debited from his bank account.
He reported the incident through the national cybercrime helpline, following which the investigation was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch’s Property Cell.
Technical examination of the application files subsequently led investigators to Gupta.
Although police allege that the developer supplied malicious applications used in numerous cyber fraud cases, the magistrate’s bail order focused on whether the available evidence directly connected him to the specific complaint.
The court’s observations leave the broader allegations and the question of possible third-party modification of the applications to be examined through further technical evidence.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
