Days after arresting four men for allegedly selling complimentary IPL match passes and premium tickets to people involved in online live betting/satta operations inside stadiums, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has served notices to four Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials, asking them to join the probe on Thursday.
Investigators found that those arrested from outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi were selling complimentary passes for up to Rs 20,000 each and also selling premium tickets at a profit and then giving a cut to certain DDCA officials.
DCP (Crime Branch) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the accused were involved in black marketing IPL tickets across India and travelled by air to different cities where IPL matches were held. This operation, across states, has been happening for 10 years, The Indian Express understands.
“They allegedly procured tickets and complimentary passes through various persons. The role of others associated with this syndicate is also under investigation. They also supplied premium tickets at exorbitant prices to people involved in online live betting/satta operations inside stadiums, as well as to pickpockets and other criminal elements,” Yadav said.
“To gain credibility and lure cricket enthusiasts, the accused falsely projected themselves as authorised representatives of the cricket administration and event management authorities. They are currently in police remand, and further investigation is underway to identify others involved in the procurement and illegal sale of tickets,” Yadav said.
On Friday, three men identified as Mukeem, 35, from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh; Gufran alias Sajid, 36, from Jamia Nagar; and Md. Faisal, 38, from Seelampur, were arrested outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Central Delhi.
“It has also come to notice that criminal cases related to ticket black marketing had previously been registered against them in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. One case of ticket black marketing during the Auto Expo in Faridabad was also registered against them,” DCP Yadav added. their questioning and the discovery of fresh evidence, the investigation team made another arrest on Tuesday, detaining Pankaj Yadav, who worked as a supervisor at a petrol pump outside Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Police have recovered 54 IPL match tickets, 33 complimentary passes and Rs 25,000 in cash from their possession.
