An alleged black-market network for IPL complimentary passes in Delhi has led investigators from the Delhi Police to a senior Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) official, a petrol pump employee and several youths posted outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium during matches, according to a news report.
Nearly 1,000 to 1,200 complimentary passes meant for distribution were allegedly diverted and sold to fans at sharply inflated prices, with rates changing depending on the match and demand.
The Indian Express, citing police sources, reported that the operation was “very systematic” with one senior DDCA official suspected to be at the centre of the network. A supervisor at the petrol pump located next to the stadium allegedly handled distribution while others were tasked with selling passes outside the venue.
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Investigators said ticket prices varied based on the profile of the match and players involved. For the Royal Challengers Bengaluru fixture, where Virat Kohli was the main attraction, a single pass was allegedly sold for as much as Rs 80,000. In other matches, rates reportedly ranged between Rs 8,000 and Rs 80,000.
The investigation began after Delhi Police picked up three men -- Mukeem (35), Gufran (36) and Md. Faisal (38) -- outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium on May 8 for allegedly selling complimentary IPL passes.
During questioning, police traced another accused, Pankaj Yadav, who worked at a petrol pump near the venue and is suspected to have played a role in circulating the passes.
As per the report, four DDCA officials, among them two senior functionaries, were called in for questioning on Thursday. Officials said they were examined for nearly five hours.
Investigators are looking into the movement of complimentary tickets allotted for IPL matches in Delhi. Under BCCI guidelines, the host association receives around 10 to 15 per cent of the stadium's total capacity as complimentary passes from the franchise. In Delhi's case, that figure is estimated to be close to 6,000 passes per game with around 4,000 earmarked for DDCA members.
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“This one DDCA official, a suspect in the case, handed over the leftover passes to Yadav,” a source told the publication. The phones seized from the accused have been sent for forensic examination after investigators found that chat histories and certain mobile applications had been deleted.
Police are also probing whether the network had connections outside Delhi and if match passes were being supplied to people linked to online betting operations during IPL games. As per the report, Yadav told the police that some tickets may also have reached pickpockets and other criminal groups operating inside stadium premises.
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