Cyber fraud accused held after forest chase in Jharkhand

A 25-year-old man accused of cheating a Delhi resident of Rs 80,000 through a malicious APK file was arrested from Jharkhand after a dramatic chase through forested and hilly terrain, Delhi Police said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Pravin Rana from the Giridih district of Jharkhand, had allegedly been evading investigators for several weeks before he was finally tracked down by a team from the Cyber Police Station of Delhi’s Outer North district.

Police officials said the accused repeatedly ignored notices issued through the Cybercrime Investigation and Analysis Reporting portal and deliberately avoided joining the probe.

“Acting on local intelligence, our team conducted a raid at his hideout on May 7. When he noticed the police presence, he tried to escape through nearby forests and hilly areas, but the team chased and apprehended him,” the officer said.

Police said the case began after a Delhi resident reported that Rs 80,000 had been fraudulently withdrawn from his bank account following his download of an APK file received on his mobile phone. Investigators said the APK link was used to compromise the victim’s banking credentials. Soon after the application was installed, the fraudsters allegedly accessed confidential financial details. The money was then transferred into another bank account and later withdrawn through ATMs.

Following the complaint, a case was registered at the Cyber Police Station in the Outer North district, and a technical investigation was launched.

Police officials said investigators closely examined the digital money trail, bank transactions, call detail records, and subscriber details linked to the suspected accounts. The analysis eventually led the police team to Jharkhand.

Officials said Rana had allegedly remained underground for some time and avoided appearing before investigators despite repeated notices. A special team was then sent to Jharkhand after police received information about his location. During the operation, officers conducted surveillance in the area before moving in to arrest him.

Police said the accused attempted to flee immediately after spotting the raiding team. He allegedly ran into nearby forested areas and rough, hilly terrain in an effort to evade capture. However, the police team pursued him and apprehended him after a chase.

A mobile phone allegedly connected to the cyber fraud operation was recovered from his possession during the arrest.

Investigators are now examining the device for evidence related to the fraud and possible links to other cybercrime activities. Officials suspect that the accused may have been part of a wider network involved in online financial fraud using malicious applications and fake links.

Cybercrime investigators said APK-based fraud has become increasingly common in recent years. Fraudsters often send fake applications disguised as banking updates, reward schemes, KYC verification tools, or service apps.

Once downloaded, these applications can gain access to sensitive information stored on the victim’s phone, including banking credentials and OTP details.