LUCKNOW, Nov. 14 -- In a major crackdown on corruption linked to the movement of overloaded trucks, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) busted a syndicate allegedly involving officials from the transport and mining departments, confirmed senior STF officials on Thursday. The officials said the STF has lodged FIRs in four districts-Lucknow, Fatehpur, Unnao, and Rae Bareli-uncovering a network of officials and middlemen who allegedly cleared overloaded sand and maurang-laden trucks in exchange for hefty bribes. They said the action follows simultaneous raids conducted by the STF teams in all four districts. The investigation revealed a deep-rooted nexus operating between department officials and brokers, facilitating illegal transport of minerals across central Uttar Pradesh. According to STF officials, named FIRs have been registered against multiple officers and their associates. In Lucknow's Madiaon police station, an FIR was lodged against assistant regional transport officer Raju Bansal; passenger tax officer Manoj Bhardwaj and seven others. In Fatehpur's Thariaon police station, an FIR was lodged against district mining officer Deshraj Patel and five others. In Unnao's city Kotwali, an FIR was lodged against transport and mining department staff members linked to the racket. In Rae Bareli's Lalganj police station, an FIR was lodged against ARTO (Fatehpur) Pushpanjali and 10 others. They said the STF's preliminary probe indicated that the accused officials in connivance with middlemen allowed hundreds of overloaded trucks to pass unchecked in return for money. They said investigations found that brokers collected Rs.7,000 per truck for allowing overloaded vehicles to pass. Of this, Rs.5,000 was allegedly distributed among officials of the RTO and mining departments, while the remaining amount was pocketed by brokers. Once the payment was received, no checking was conducted, and even if a truck was stopped, it was released without a challan, the STF officials mentioned in the FIR.htc...