LUCKNOW, Feb. 16 -- The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Sunday arrested the alleged mastermind of a large-scale Mudra loan fraud racket in which crores of rupees were siphoned off by using forged documents in alleged collusion with bank officials. The accused, identified as 31-year-old Aamir Ahsan, a resident of Mohammadabad-Gohna in Mau district, was arrested at around 11.40am from IIM Road near Sahara Homes under the Madiaon police station limits in Lucknow. According to officials, the STF recovered a mobile phone, Aadhaar card, driving licence, three debit/credit cards, four cars (two Innova Crystas, one XUV500 and a Ciaz), and Rs.730 cash from the accused. The action followed an investigation into a complaint received at the STF headquarters in Lucknow. The complainant had alleged that he was duped into signing loan documents under the pretext of being sanctioned a business loan. A Mudra loan refers to loans provided under a scheme launched in 2015 to support small entrepreneurs and micro-businesses. As per the complaint, the victim was introduced to an alleged facilitator who claimed links with bank managers. He was taken to a bank branch in Jankipuram, where he was made to sign multiple documents in the presence of the branch manager and other associates. Later, he was informed that the loan had not been approved. However, months later, he began receiving "EMI due" messages. A check of his credit history revealed that two loans had been sanctioned in his name without his knowledge. Based on technical evidence, the STF had earlier arrested the then branch manager and three others on September 13, 2025, and registered a case at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Lucknow. During interrogation and analysis of seized documents, investigators identified Aamir Ahsan as the alleged mastermind operating the racket along with an associate named Naved. During questioning, Ahsan allegedly confessed that the gang used to edit photographs on Aadhaar and PAN cards and replace them with images of gang members. They would then, in collusion with certain bank officials to process Mudra loans....