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If $f$ is a modular form on a finite-index subgroup and $\gamma$ is rational with positive determinant, then $f{|}_k\gamma$ is bounded near infinity. Choose $\sigma \in S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ with $\sigma \infty =\gamma \infty$. The matrix ${\sigma }^{-1}\gamma$ is upper triangular and sends $z$ to $Az+B$ with $A>0$. Thus the existing cusp expansion of $f{|}_k\sigma$ stays bounded under this substitution. Rational conjugation of finite-index modular subgroups gives a positive period for the translate, so boundedness gives a removable singularity in its cusp parameter. Apply this to $\gamma \rho$ for every $\rho \in S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ to obtain holomorphy at every cusp of the new subgroup. Vanishing at the cusps is preserved too.

First establish rational conjugation of finite-index modular subgroups without assuming that $\Gamma$ is a congruence subgroup. Multiply $\gamma$ by a positive integer to obtain an integral matrix $A$, and let $D=\det A>0$. Conjugation is unchanged by this scalar. If $h=I+DB\in \Gamma (D)$, thenThus the principal congruence subgroup $\Gamma (D)$ is contained in $H=S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})\cap {\gamma }^{-1}S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})\gamma$. It has finite index because reduction modulo $D$ has finite image. Inside $H$, pullback under conjugation of $\Gamma$ has relative index at most $[S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z}):\Gamma ]$. ConsequentlyThis argument does not assert that an arbitrary finite-index subgroup contains a principal congruence subgroup.

Use the determinant-normalized slash operatorThe positive real power of the determinant is used; on $S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ this reduces to the usual slash operator for modular forms. The automorphy factor identity gives the right-action rule $(f{|}_k\gamma ){|}_k\eta =f{|}_k(\gamma \eta )$.

A modular form on a finite-index subgroup of integer weight $k$ is a holomorphic function on the complex upper half-plane, invariant under this weight-$k$ action of $\Gamma$, and holomorphic at a cusp at each of its cusps. A cusp of a modular group is a $\Gamma$ orbit in ${\mathbb{P}}^1(\mathbb{Q})$. If $\sigma \in S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ carries infinity to its representative, choose a positive integer $h$ with $\sigma T^h{\sigma }^{-1}\in \Gamma$. Such $h$ exists by finite index. Then $f{|}_k\sigma$ is periodic and has a convergent expansion in $q_h=e^{2\pi iz/h}$ near zero; holomorphy means no negative exponents, and being a cusp form means zero constant term. Using an actual translation period avoids possible signs if a smaller width of a cusp is defined only modulo the center, particularly in odd weights.

For cusp holomorphy under rational slash operators, choose $\sigma \in S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ with $\sigma \infty =\gamma \infty$, possible by completing a primitive integer pair to a determinant-one matrix. Then ${\sigma }^{-1}\gamma =\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ 0& d\end{array}\right)$, with $a/d>0$. Up to a nonzero constant factor,The imaginary part of the argument tends to infinity with that of $z$, so this remains bounded by the cusp expansion of $f{|}_k\sigma$. It tends to zero if $f$ is a cusp form. Moreover $f{|}_k\gamma$ is invariant under ${\Gamma }^{\prime }$: for $\eta \in {\Gamma }^{\prime }$, $\gamma \eta {\gamma }^{-1}\in \Gamma$ and the right-action rule applies. Finite index gives a translation period for ${\Gamma }^{\prime }$, so boundedness is a removable singularity at zero in that periodic parameter. This proves holomorphy at infinity. For every other cusp, apply the same argument to the rational matrix $\gamma \rho$, with $\rho \in S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$. Thus all cusp conditions hold, and

For the character twist by rational translations of a cusp form, put $B_j=\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& j/N\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right)$ and $K={\Gamma }_1(N)\cap {\Gamma }_0(N^2)$. For $\eta =\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ c& d\end{array}\right)\in K$, direct conjugation givesIndeed $N^2\mid c$ and $a\equiv d\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}N)$. Every $f{|}_k{B}_j=f(z+j/N)$ is therefore $K$-invariant and vanishes at all its cusps by the preceding rational-translate argument. Their finite weighted sum is a cusp form, for every Dirichlet character:

There is, however, a missing primitivity hypothesis in the printed final expansion claim. The exact Fourier expansion of a modular form is alwaysValues of a Dirichlet character on units have modulus one, so $\chi (j{)}^{-1}=\overline{\chi (j)}$. For unit $n$, substitution gives $S_{\overline{\chi }}(n)=\chi (n)g(\overline{\chi })$, where $g$ is the Gauss sum of a Dirichlet character. For nonunit $n$, this vanishing formula requires a primitive Dirichlet character.

Here is its proof in that case. Choose a prime $p\mid (n,N)$. Primitivity supplies a unit $u\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}N/p)$ with $\chi (u)\ne 1$: otherwise the character would factor through the surjective reduction to units modulo $N/p$. Surjectivity follows by lifting a unit and, if needed, adjusting the lift to avoid the additional prime $p$, using the Chinese remainder theorem. Multiplication by $u$ fixes $e^{2\pi inj/N}$ because $p\mid n$, but multiplies the character factor by a nontrivial constant. Hence $S_{\overline{\chi }}(n)=0$. The finite Fourier transform of a primitive Dirichlet character now gives the corrected formulaThe constant is nonzero: finite exponential orthogonality gives ${\sum }_{n\mathrm{mod}N}|S_{\overline{\chi }}(n){|}^2=N\phi (N)$, whereas the proved formula makes this $\phi (N)|g(\overline{\chi }){|}^2$. Thus $|g(\overline{\chi })|=\sqrt{N}$.

For a concrete counterexample to the printed unrestricted claim, take $N=2$, the principal Dirichlet character, and $f=\Delta$. The translation sum is $\Delta (z+1/2)={\sum }_n(-1{)}^n\tau (n)q^n$, whose $q^2$ coefficient is $-24$. Any constant multiple of the proposed odd-index-only series has $q^2$ coefficient zero. Thus the general modularity conclusion is proved, while the claimed simplification is false without the stated extra hypothesis.