A retired Army officer became the victim of cyber fraud after he unknowingly downloaded a malicious APK file while attempting to pay a traffic challan online. Within just 10 minutes, ₹1.2 lakh was siphoned off from his bank account.

The officer had received a message with a link to download an app, which appeared to be from a legitimate source. Believing it to be a requirement for paying the fine, he installed the APK file - a decision that allowed cybercriminals to remotely access his device and drain his funds.

Authorities have since clarified that government departments, including the Transport Department, never issue or require APK files for paying fines or enforcement. Official challan payments must be made only through authenticated government portals or apps such as Parivahan or state RTO websites.

Cybercrime officials are investigating the case, and the public is urged to stay alert against phishing messages, especially those prompting APK downloads - a common tactic used in recent scams.