Odisha Police’s cyber crime wing has busted an organised cyber fraud racket that allegedly cheated people of more than ₹70 lakh by circulating malicious APK files under the guise of membership to a fake organisation called “Cockroach Janata Party.” Four accused have been arrested after raids in West Bengal and Jharkhand.
The arrested accused have been identified as Ayan Nandi from Nadia district in West Bengal, Allaudin Ansari from Jamtara in Jharkhand, and Abhisek Das and Birendra Das from Deoghar district in Jharkhand. Investigators said the gang lured victims with promises of rewards, gift cards and easy money before tricking them into downloading malware-infected APK files.
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Fake Membership Links Used to Install Malware
Police said the accused circulated suspicious links through social media platforms, messaging apps and Telegram groups. Victims were allegedly told that joining the so-called “Cockroach Janata Party” would make them eligible for attractive rewards and gift vouchers.
Once users clicked on the links and downloaded the APK files, malware was secretly installed on their mobile phones. Investigators said the malware allegedly allowed the fraudsters to access banking credentials, OTPs, personal information and mobile banking applications.
Officials said the accused also used fake RTO challan messages to trap victims. In several cases, users were allegedly asked to download APK files for payment verification or document checks, after which the malware gave the accused access to sensitive financial data.
Fake IPO Scheme Also Under Probe
Investigators also uncovered a fake investment fraud allegedly linked to the gang. A retired government employee was reportedly cheated through a fraudulent platform named “F29 Avendus Capital Wealth Investment Exchange Academy.”
According to police, the victim was promised returns exceeding ₹1 crore through IPO investments and transferred nearly ₹26 lakh to the fraudsters. The fraud came to light after the promised returns failed to materialise.
Police said accused Ayan Nandi operated a firm named “Nandi Technology,” and around ₹5 lakh from the cheated amount was reportedly transferred to his bank account. Officials said the account had links to at least 14 cyber crime complaints registered in different states.
Telegram Groups and Mule Accounts Examined
Investigators found that Abhisek Das and his associates allegedly circulated between 10 and 40 malicious APK files every day through Telegram groups. Police said the gang allegedly earned nearly ₹2,000 for every successful malware download.
The proceeds were reportedly routed through multiple bank accounts and digital wallets. During the raids, police seized mobile phones, a laptop, online chat records, printouts related to APK preparation, mule account operations and documents linked to fraudulent transactions.
Investigators suspect that the gang may be connected to a wider cyber crime network operating across multiple states. Police have urged citizens not to click suspicious links, download APK files from unknown sources or trust fake challan messages, investment offers and reward schemes circulated online.
