A cybercrime investigation in Surat Gujarat has led to the arrest of an 18-year-old from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, who is accused of developing fake banking applications and malware-infected APK files that were allegedly supplied to cybercriminals operating across the country.
The accused, identified as Rohit Virendra Singh Shakya, was arrested on Monday by the Surat Cyber Crime Cell. Police said he had studied only up to Class 11 and began creating malicious APK files at the age of 16 using artificial intelligence tools and Telegram. These applications were allegedly designed to compromise mobile phones and steal sensitive user information.
According to investigators, cybercrime gangs based in Jamtara, Jharkhand, along with groups in Haryana and Rajasthan, were sourcing virus-infected applications from him.
The network came to light during the investigation of a cyber fraud case registered in Surat. In May 2026, a victim received an APK file on WhatsApp that closely resembled the official Punjab National Bank PNB One application. Believing it to be genuine, the victim installed the app. Within minutes, the mobile phone was compromised and ₹5 lakh was transferred from the victim’s Prime Co-operative Bank account to a Union Bank account.
The investigation led a team of cybercrime officers and IT experts to a hotel in Kanpur, where the accused was arrested. Police also seized his laptop, mobile phone and other digital devices.
During questioning, investigators found that he allegedly developed 2 types of applications. One was installed on the victim’s device, while the other functioned as an admin application that reportedly allowed cybercriminals to view OTPs, banking details and other sensitive information in real time.
Police said the accused operated on a subscription model, charging ₹15,000 for the initial software deployment and ₹15,000 per month for continued services. Investigators also found that he created customised fake applications resembling those of banks, government departments and major companies, including PNB, SBI, Axis Bank, UCO Bank, BigBasket, American Express and RTO challan services. Police said efforts are underway to identify and arrest others linked to the network.
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