First Gangsters Act case slapped on cyber fraudsters in UP

Lucknow: In a first-of-its-kind action in UP, police have invoked the Gangsters Act against a cyber fraud syndicate at the cybercrime police station in Auraiya.A case has been lodged under section 3(1) of the Gangsters Act against four accused linked to an inter-state and inter-district cybercrime network.Officials said invoking the Gangsters Act reflects the organised and repeated nature of the offences. The accused were found to be operating a structured racket involving fake digital identities, forged documents and coordinated fraud across multiple states.The gang allegedly created fraudulent Facebook pages mimicking govt schemes. Victims were lured with promises of financial benefits and asked to submit documents online. The accused would then demand money for ‘registration fees and processing charges'.Four accused namedThe accused have been identified as Shiv Pratap alias Ravi (27), Jitendra alias Mithun (31), Rahul (29) and Tinku alias Ranjit Singh (28). National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) data shows that at least 20 complaints were against the gang, with the fraud amounting to Rs 10 lakh.Officials said the accused were booked in 2025 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act. A chargesheet was filed in court on Mar 14, 2026. The fresh Gangsters Act case has been registered considering their continued involvement in organised cyber fraud.‘Strong message against cybercrime'Police termed the move a landmark step. "Auraiya police's action of imposing Gangster Act on seven members of criminal gangs demonstrates that whether a criminal operates on the street or behind a screen, the law will reach them. Such action will serve as a powerful deterrent for cyber criminals, and reaffirm the confidence of citizens that their safety — in both the physical and digital world — is our foremost priority," said DGP Rajeev Krishna.