LUCKNOW, Feb. 17 -- In a major crackdown on GST fraud, a joint team of the Cyber Cell, Surveillance Unit and police from Itaunja police station under the Lucknow Police Commissionerate, has busted an organised racket that created more than 15 bogus firms to generate and sell fake Input Tax Credit (ITC), causing a tax loss of over Rs.2.75 crore. Four accused have been arrested, while the alleged mastermind, Ammar Ansari of Sitapur, remains absconding. Police said Ansari had earlier been jailed in a GST fraud case and was the key operator who handled registrations and ITC generation. DCP Crime Kamlesh Dixit, while holding a press conference on Monday, said the gang targeted poor and financially vulnerable individuals, offering them Rs.10,000-Rs.20,000 in exchange for copies of their Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, bank account details, mobile numbers and address proofs. Using these documents, the accused prepared forged rent agreements to obtain GST registrations in the names of non-existent firms. "Once registered, these shell entities generated bogus ITC through fake GST returns (GSTR-1) and created fabricated invoices and e-way bills to show fictitious transactions in aluminium scrap, ferrous waste, iron, steel, tubes and pipes. The fake ITC was then sold to genuine businesses at a 1% commission, enabling them to illegally offset their tax liabilities," added the DCP. As per police press note, the racket came to light after Abhimanyu Pathak, assistant commissioner, State Tax (Division-16, Lucknow), lodged a complaint on September 2, 2025, against Swaraj Traders. The firm had obtained GST registration in April 2024 using forged documents and a fabricated rent agreement....