Dehradun, March 27 -- Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand Police has busted a cyber fraud racket operating across states and arrested three people from Maharashtra for allegedly duping a resident of Srinagar in Pauri Garhwal district of Rs.1.31 crore by luring the victim with promises of high returns on investments, police said. Ajay Singh, senior superintendent of police (SSP), STF Uttarakhand said the accused were part of a larger syndicate involved in online investment frauds that targeted victims through fake digital platforms and misleading promises of quick profits. He said a case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Dehradun under sections 318(4), for dishonestly inducing someone to deliver any property to anyone, and 61(2), for criminal conspiracy, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act following a written complaint by a resident of Srinagar, Pauri Garhwal. "The complainant alleged that unknown cyber fraudsters induced him to invest money by promising high returns and gradually convinced him to transfer funds into multiple bank accounts. In total, the victim transferred Rs.1.31 crore before realising he had been cheated," Singh said. Given the large amount involved, the STF initiated a detailed investigation under the supervision of assistant superintendent of police (cyber) Kush Mishra. Investigators carried out technical analysis of bank accounts used to receive the money, along with registered email IDs and mobile numbers linked to the fraudulent transactions. He said the probe led police to three accused based in Maharashtra who were allegedly operating bank accounts and digital infrastructure used in the fraud. He said the arrested accused have been identified as Parteek Uttam Bafna, 32, a resident of Bhayander (East) in Thane district; Ashish Kumar, 27, a resident of RNP Park in Bhayander East, Thane; and Mohammad Shrim alias Nasir, 31, a resident of Vasai in Palghar district....