LUCKNOW, Aug. 4 -- The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has uncovered what investigators describe as a sprawling multi-state cyber fraud syndicate that allegedly duped thousands of investors through fake IPO and stock market investment schemes. In all, 3,087 complaints linked to the racket have already been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Senior STF officials said on Monday that the investigation gathered pace following the arrest of Anurag Arvind Srivastava from Nagpur, Maharashtra, on July 31. He was brought to Lucknow and produced before the court on Monday, which remanded him to judicial custody. The STF said the syndicate operated across several states by using social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, to lure victims with promises of unusually high returns from IPOs and stock market investments. Victims were allegedly added to fake online training groups where fabricated profit screenshots were circulated before they were persuaded to download a fraudulent investment application through a hyperlink. According to investigators, investors were prompted to transfer money into multiple bank accounts controlled by the syndicate. The case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Lucknow, following a complaint by one such victim. The STF said the accused was wanted in a case registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. During the operation, investigators seized a laptop, an iPhone, three company seals, a Tata Nexon vehicle, 139 documents, six blank cheque books, two unsigned cheques valued at Rs.3.17 crore and Rs.2.50 crore, a cancelled cheque and two SIM cards. During questioning, Srivastava allegedly told investigators that he and his associates floated My Ground11 Gaming Zone Pvt. Ltd. in 2022 and used the platform to run fantasy gaming while allegedly cheating investors of crores of rupees through fraudulent investment activities. He also disclosed the identities of several alleged associates. The STF said Srivastava is linked to multiple cybercrime cases registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Lucknow, besides cases at Ashiana police station in Lucknow and the Cyber Crime Police Station at Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Investigators said the financial probe has already resulted in the freezing of nearly Rs.2 crore lying in bank accounts allegedly used by the syndicate. They said efforts are now focused on identifying additional bank accounts, tracing the complete proceeds of crime and arresting other members of the network, indicating that the investigation is expected to widen further. The STF is also examining the money trail and digital evidence seized during the arrest to establish the full scale of the alleged fraud. Lucknow Police have busted an interstate mule account racket that allegedly routed nearly Rs.50 crore generated through online frauds and arrested three young men accused of laundering the funds for cyber criminals. The action was carried out by Vikas Nagar police under the Commissionerate's ongoing 'Cy-Vajra' campaign, aimed at dismantling cybercrime networks and choking their financial channels. "The arrested accused were identified as Saif, Rehan Khan and Neeraj Sharma. Police said all three are Class XII pass-outs and had been working for the racket for nearly two years," said ADCP East Amol Murkut in a press confrence. According to SHO, Vikasnagar, Alok Kr Singh, the trio functioned as mule account operators, a key component of organised cyber fraud syndicates. They allegedly arranged and operated bank accounts used to receive money siphoned off from victims through online scams. After the funds were credited, the accused would withdraw the cash, keep a pre-decided commission and transfer the remaining amount to handlers and kingpins operating the fraud network....