In a major crackdown on cyber fraud, Mumbai Cyber Police have uncovered a racket that used fake Android application files in the name of Mahanagar Gas Limited, leading to the arrest of 3 men.
The case surfaced after a 64-year-old Mumbai resident, Upendra Narayan Muskur, was allegedly duped of ₹2.35 lakh. Fraudsters posed as MGL officials and sent a malicious file named “MGL GAS UNBLOCK FILE.apk” via WhatsApp, claiming it would restore his gas connection.
Police said that once the file was installed, it gave hackers complete remote access to the victim’s phone. This allowed them to steal sensitive banking details. The fraud was carried out using a fake .APK file designed to deceive utility users.
A cyber lab analysis of the file helped investigators trace its origin. By examining digital evidence such as IMEI records, IP logs, and mobile numbers, police linked the operation to Mohammad Arif Astul Ansari, 28, from Jharkhand.
The suspects were tracked across Jharkhand and West Bengal using technical surveillance. On April 22, Mumbai Cyber Police, with support from the Railway Protection Force, intercepted a train in Kishanganj, Bihar, and arrested the accused.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Mohammad Arif Astul Ansari, 28, Bilal Mohammad Naushad Sheikh, 28, and Mehboob Alam Mohammad Naushad Alam, 25. Police seized 5 mobile phones containing multiple fraud-related .APK files.
The accused are being brought to Mumbai on transit remand. Officials believe the arrests could lead to a larger network involved in targeting utility users across India. An officer as says the group created such malicious files for cyber fraud and sold them to other criminals operating nationwide.
The officer further advise users to download apps only from trusted platforms such as official developer websites and recognised app stores. They also warned against clicking links received through WhatsApp, SMS, or Telegram, and urged users to verify developer details before installing any application.
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