The Delhi Police Crime Branch has reportedly issued notices to four officials of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, asking them to join an ongoing investigation into the alleged black-marketing of IPL match passes and premium tickets.
The development comes after police arrested four men outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium for allegedly selling tickets and complimentary passes to various individuals, including those reportedly linked to betting operations being conducted from inside the stadium.
According to The Indian Express, the accused were allegedly selling complimentary passes for as much as Rs 20,000 each while also earning profits through the illegal sale of premium tickets. Investigators suspect that a portion of the proceeds was shared with certain DDCA officials.
“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,” DCP (Crime Branch) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav was quoted as saying.
Police further revealed that the accused allegedly posed as “authorised representatives” of DDCA administration and event management authorities in order to gain credibility while carrying out the operation.
During the probe, investigators also discovered that the alleged racket extended beyond Delhi and IPL matches.
“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,” Yadav added.
Another accused, identified as Pankaj Yadav, was arrested on Tuesday. Police said he worked as a supervisor at a petrol pump located outside the stadium in the national capital.
Earlier, three men in their mid-thirties — Mukeem from Uttar Pradesh, Sajid from Delhi and Md. Faisal from Delhi — were arrested outside the venue. Officials said 55 IPL tickets and 33 complimentary passes were recovered from them during the operation.
