Bhubaneswar police have arrested four alleged cyber fraudsters accused of cheating people of more than Rs 70 lakh by circulating malicious APK files disguised as membership links of the so called Cockroach Janata Party, fake investment offers and RTO challans, exposing a multi state fraud network built around malware, stolen credentials and mule account operations.
Arrests Follow Raids in Two States
The Cyber Crime and Economic Offences wing of the Commissionerate Police arrested the four accused after raids in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Police identified them as Ayan Nandi, 27, of Nadia district in West Bengal, Allaudin Ansari, 36, of Jamtara in Jharkhand, and Abhisek Das, 21, and Birendra Das, 20, of Deoghar district in Jharkhand.
According to police, the accused had been disguising malicious APK files in unsuspecting messages and luring people to join the Cockroach Janata Party by offering rewards and gift cards. Cyber Police ACP Suchismita Das said investigators found that the accused were running fraudulent gift card schemes and malicious digital links in the name of CJP, pushing targets to take membership through those links while allegedly attempting to commit cyber fraud through the process.
Police said the fraudsters also sent APK files disguised as RTO challans. Users who downloaded the files were allegedly tricked into installing malware that enabled the accused to access banking credentials, OTPs and personal information stored on mobile phones.
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Fake Investment Pitch and APK Distribution Trail
Investigators linked the accused to multiple fraud patterns beyond the fake party membership messages. In one major case, a retired government official was allegedly cheated of Rs 26 lakh in a fake IPO investment scam through a fraudulent platform called F29 Avendus Capital Wealth Investment Exchange Academy. Police said the victim had been promised returns exceeding Rs 1 crore.
During the investigation, police found that accused Ayan operated a sole proprietorship firm named Nandi Technology and received around Rs 5 lakh from the cheated amount. Officials said his bank account had links to at least 14 cybercrime complaints registered across several states, suggesting a wider trail of suspicious transactions.
In another case, police found that Abhisek and his aides had circulated malicious APK files through Telegram groups and earned Rs 2,000 for every successful download. Investigators said the gang circulated between 10 and 40 malicious APK files daily, pointing to a steady and organised model of digital fraud distribution.
Phones, Laptop and Fraud Records Seized
During the searches, police seized mobile phones, a laptop and printouts of online conversations related to APK preparation, mule account operations and fraudulent transactions. The material recovered, according to investigators, is expected to help establish how the accused created and circulated the malicious files and how the money trail moved across different accounts.
Police said the case highlights how cybercriminals are repackaging malware in everyday formats such as reward links, membership drives and traffic challan notices to draw in unsuspecting users. The use of Telegram groups, fake investment platforms and mule account channels indicates that the operation was not confined to one method or one region.
Citizens have been advised not to share banking credentials, OTPs, SIM cards or account details with strangers. Police also warned young people against easy money schemes involving mule accounts and cyber fraud activities, saying such offers often form part of larger criminal networks.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
