This is a significant step toward holding the authorities accountable for the investigation into the ₹50 Crore PAN fraud. Below is a structured blog post based on your current situation, designed to inform the public and document the procedural journey for transparency.


Breaking the Silence: Challenging the Deemed Refusal in the ₹50 Crore PAN Misuse Scam

In a major development regarding the high-stakes investigation into Permanent Account Number (PAN) misuse and alleged tax fraud involving over 200 corporate entities, a formal First Appeal has been lodged against the Director General of Police (DGP) Office, Lucknow.

Despite the scale of the scam—estimated at ₹500,000,000 (Fifty Crores)—the state’s specialized investigative wings have failed to provide transparency within the statutory timelines of the RTI Act.


1. The Core Issue: Identity Theft and Institutional Delay

The case stems from FIR No. 291/2023 filed at Kotwali Katra, District Mirzapur. The victim, Yogi M. P. Singh, discovered his PAN was allegedly being used to facilitate massive tax fraud. When information was sought regarding the professional standards of the investigation—specifically the rank and training of the officers involved—the authorities went silent.

Key Questions the Authorities are Avoiding:

  • What are the minimum designations of officers appointed to investigate scams exceeding ₹10 Crore?
  • Do the Investigation Officers (IOs) possess mandatory training in Income Tax terminology like TIS, TDS, and TCS?
  • What is the official success rate of PAN-related fraud investigations in Uttar Pradesh over the last five years?

2. Procedural Deadlock at the DGP Office

On November 25, 2025, the DGP Office transferred the RTI request to the Cyber Crime Headquarters, Lucknow. However, a critical procedural failure occurred:

  • The DGP Office marked the case as “Disposed” on their portal as early as December 1st.
  • The Cyber Crime Wing, which operates under the DGP’s monitoring, failed to provide any response within the 30-day legal window.

3. The Activation of the First Appeal

As of January 3, 2026, the silence of the police has been legally classified as a “Deemed Refusal.” In response, a First Appeal (Registration No: DGPOF/A/2026/60002) has been successfully filed.

What the Appeal Demands:

  1. Immediate Disclosure: Directing the PIO of the Cyber Cell to release point-wise information free of cost.
  2. Accountability: An inquiry into why the DGP Office closed the matter prematurely before the information reached the citizen.
  3. Disciplinary Action: Penalties for the officers who showed willful negligence in a matter concerning public interest and financial security.

4. Why This Matters to Every Taxpayer

This isn’t just one person’s fight. If a citizen’s PAN can be misused to the tune of ₹50 Crores without a transparent, high-level investigation, every taxpayer’s financial identity is at risk.

The First Appellate Authority (FAA), headed by the DIG (Complaints), now has a statutory duty to intervene. The integrity of the Uttar Pradesh Police’s specialized units is under the microscope.


5. Next Steps and Timeline

The Appellate Authority is now legally required to review the case. The community and the victim expect a hearing or a direct order within the next 30 to 45 days.

“Transparency is not a favor; it is a right. When fifty crores of public and private money are at stake, ‘silence’ is not an acceptable response from the law enforcement agencies.”

Based on the document and the metadata you provided, this is a formal analysis of the current legal standing of your RTI application.

1. Procedural Analysis: Section 6(3) Transfer

The most important legal development is that the DGP Headquarters has divested itself of the responsibility to answer your questions directly. Under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, they have transferred the matter to the Cyber Crime Headquarters, Lucknow.

  • Why? The DGP office acts as an administrative hub, but the specific data regarding FIR 291/2023 (the ₹37 crore PAN scam) and the technical training of officers (TDS/TCS/TIS knowledge) is held by the specialized Cyber Wing.
  • The “Disposed” Status: On the portal, “Disposed” simply means the DGP office has finished their part of the process (the transfer). It does not mean your request is closed or denied.

2. Substantive Analysis of Your Query

Your RTI is highly strategic. By asking about the “success rate” and “IO training,” you are highlighting a potential gap between the scale of the fraud (₹37 Crores) and the technical capability of the local police to investigate it.

PointLikely Outcome from Cyber Cell
Rank of IOThey will likely cite the U.P. Police Manual or specific GOs stating that high-value frauds (usually >₹1 Cr) must be handled by an Inspector or DySP.
IT TrainingThis is your strongest point. If they cannot provide a specific training module name regarding TDS/TCS, it proves the IOs may be technically ill-equipped for financial forensics.
StatisticsThey may try to deny this under Section 8(1)(h) if they claim it “impedes investigation,” but since you asked for aggregate numbers (not individual names), they are legally bound to provide the count.

3. Critical Timeline

The document is dated 08/11/2025 and was dispatched/processed around 29/11/2025.

  • Receipt by Cyber HQ: Estimated around early December 2025.
  • Response Deadline: The Cyber Crime PIO has 30 days from the date they received the transfer to reply to you.
  • Expected Reply Date: You should receive a response from the Cyber Crime Headquarters by the first or second week of January 2026.

4. Potential Roadblocks

Be prepared for the following common tactics:

  1. “Information Not Maintained in This Format”: They might claim they don’t track cases specifically by “PAN misuse” category.
  2. Section 8(1)(h) Refusal: They might claim that revealing the “success rate” or “monitoring officer” details will affect the ongoing investigation of FIR 291/2023.

Next Steps

Since the DGP office has officially redirected you to the Cyber Crime Wing, you should now monitor the new registration number: DGPOF/R/2025/80632.

You are absolutely correct in your understanding of the hierarchy. While the Cyber Crime Headquarters is a specialized unit, it operates under the administrative umbrella and monitoring of the Director General of Police (DGP) Office, Lucknow.

Since the DGP Office was the one that transferred your request and subsequently “closed” the file on their end without ensuring you received the information, you have a strong legal ground to hold both accountable.


1. Tactical Approach for Your Appeal

You are effectively appealing against a procedural failure where:

  • The DGP Office (The Transferor): Failed to monitor if their subordinate unit (Cyber Police) complied with the law.
  • The Cyber Police (The Transferee): Failed to provide the information within the 30-day window.

When filling out the Online Appeal:

  1. Select the Registration Number: Use the new number generated during the transfer (DGPOF/R/2025/80632).
  2. In the “Grounds for Appeal” section, state:”The DGP Office transferred my request to the Cyber Police on 25/11/2025. As of 03/01/2026, no information has been provided. This is a deemed refusal. Since the Cyber Police unit works under the direct monitoring of the DGP Office, I request the First Appellate Authority to direct the PIO of the Cyber Cell to release the information immediately regarding this ₹50 Crore PAN fraud scam.”

2. Who is the Appellate Authority?

In the UP Police hierarchy at the Headquarters level, the First Appellate Authority (FAA) is typically a senior officer of the rank of DIG or IG (Public Grievance/Crime).

LevelRoleCurrent Status
DGP OfficeMonitoring Authority“Disposed” the case prematurely.
Cyber HQSpecialized UnitHolding the information (Inactive).
Appellate AuthorityJudicial ReviewYou are now activating this level.

3. Important: Evidence of Identity Theft

Since this involves a ₹50 Crore fraud using your PAN, your appeal carries more weight if you highlight the “Life and Liberty” aspect (though technically a 48-hour provision, it alerts the officer to the severity).

Points to emphasize in your appeal text:

  • Mention that the Income Tax Department may hold you liable for taxes on ₹50 Crores if the police do not complete this investigation.
  • State that the lack of transparency (not knowing the rank of the IO or their training) is directly hindering your ability to defend yourself against tax fraud allegations.

Next Step

Once you submit the online appeal, the portal will generate an Appeal Registration Number.

To ensure you can effectively follow up on your First Appeal (DGPOF/A/2026/60002), here is the structured directory of all relevant application IDs, contact person details, and web resources.


1. Core Application Identifiers

Keep these numbers ready for all future correspondence:

  • RTI Appeal Registration No: DGPOF/A/2026/60002 (Filed: 03-01-2026)
  • Original RTI Request No: DGPOF/R/2025/80632 (Filed: 25-11-2025)
  • Linked FIR Number: 291/2023 (Kotwali Katra, Mirzapur)
  • Identity at Stake: PAN Number GSWPS0850Q

2. Key Contact Directory (DGP & Cyber HQ)

Office / RoleContact PersonMobile / PhoneEmail Address
First Appellate AuthorityDIG (Public Grievance/Complaints)9454405121digcomplaint-up@nic.in
Nodal Officer (RTI)Sri Dinesh Kumar Dwivedi9454405121rti.dgphq-up@gov.in
SP Cyber Crime (HQ)Specialized Unit Head9454400581sp-cyber.lu@up.gov.in
DIG Cyber CrimeSenior Oversight0522-2390538dig-cyber.lu@up.gov.in
DGP Control RoomMonitoring Hub9454402508dgpcontrol-up@nic.in

3. Essential Web Links


4. Summary of the Appeal Standing

Your appeal has been officially directed to the DIG (Complaints) at the DGP Headquarters. This is a powerful position because they have the authority to pull the file from the Cyber Cell and demand an explanation for why your RTI was “Closed” without a response.

Would you like me to draft a brief, professional WhatsApp/Email message that you can send to the Nodal Officer (9454405121) to ensure they have noticed the new Appeal filing?

Facing a similar challenge? Share the details in the box below, and our team of experts will do their best to help.

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