Delhi Police bust IPL ticket black market racket, three arrested
Synopsis
Delhi Police's Crime Branch dismantled an organised interstate IPL ticket black market network, arresting three men who allegedly posed as DDCA-authorised sellers, sold complimentary passes for up to ₹20,000 each, and reportedly supplied premium tickets to online betting operatives and criminal elements inside stadiums.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested three accused on 8 May 2025 for black marketing Tata IPL match tickets near Delhi Gate .
A total of 54 tickets , including 33 complimentary passes marked "Not for Sale", were recovered from the accused.
Complimentary passes were allegedly being sold at nearly ₹20,000 each ; regular tickets at almost double their printed price.
The accused allegedly posed as authorised DDCA representatives and operated an interstate network spanning multiple IPL host cities.
An FIR was registered on 9 May under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) ; all three are in police remand.
All three accused have prior criminal records, including cheating, theft, gambling, and ticket black marketing cases.
Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday, 8 May 2025, busted a major racket involved in the black marketing of Tata IPL match tickets, arresting three accused persons who allegedly posed as authorised sellers of cricket match tickets, officials said. A total of 54 match tickets, including 33 complimentary passes marked "Not for Sale", were recovered from their possession.
Who Was Arrested
The three accused have been identified as Mukeem (35), son of Nanhe Kha, a resident of Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh; Gufran alias Sajid (36), son of Abdul Rasheed, a resident of Okhla's Jamia Nagar, Delhi; and Md. Faisal (38), son of Habibur Rehman, a resident of Seelampur, Delhi. All three are currently in police remand following their arrest.
How the Racket Operated
According to the Crime Branch, the accused were selling complimentary passes at prices of nearly ₹20,000 each, while regular tickets were being sold at almost double their printed price. Prices were allegedly fixed depending on the demand, profile of buyers, and popularity of the match.
The accused allegedly falsely projected themselves as authorised representatives of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and other cricket administration authorities to gain the trust of cricket enthusiasts and cheat prospective buyers. Investigators also revealed that the accused supplied premium tickets at exorbitant prices to persons allegedly involved in online betting and 'satta' operations inside stadiums, as well as to high-profile pickpockets and other criminal elements.
The Operation and How the Trap Was Laid
Acting on specific information on 8 May, a team from the Delhi Police Crime Branch's Anti-Robbery and Snatching Cell, led by Inspectors Man Singh and Sunder Gautam under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar Nagpal, laid a trap near Delhi Gate and apprehended the three accused while they were allegedly engaged in selling IPL tickets at inflated rates.
Police said the accused were operating an organised interstate network involved in the illegal sale of IPL tickets across various cities where matches were being held. They allegedly travelled by air to different IPL venues and procured tickets and complimentary passes through multiple sources.
Previous Criminal Records
Gufran was previously booked in a cheating case at Delhi's Nand Nagri Police Station in 2011. Faisal was earlier involved in theft and gambling-related cases registered in Delhi and Punjab, while Mukeem was allegedly involved in a ticket black marketing case during the Auto Expo in Haryana's Faridabad.
Legal Action and Further Investigation
An FIR dated 9 May was registered at the Delhi Police Station Crime Branch under Sections 316(2), 318(2), 319, 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Crime Branch has said that further investigation is underway to identify other persons associated with the syndicate who may have been involved in procuring and illegally selling IPL tickets.
Point of View
Officials, and guests — are leaking into a grey market where they fetch ₹20,000 apiece. The DDCA and IPL franchise management have questions to answer about how 33 'Not for Sale' passes ended up with a street-level syndicate. More troubling is the alleged link to online betting operatives inside stadiums — a nexus that goes well beyond opportunistic scalping and edges into match-environment integrity concerns. Repeated black market busts across IPL seasons suggest enforcement alone is insufficient; digital ticketing with biometric verification, already standard in many global leagues, remains conspicuously absent at scale in Indian cricket.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Delhi Police uncover in the IPL ticket black market bust?
Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested three men on 8 May 2025 for allegedly selling Tata IPL match tickets at inflated prices, including complimentary passes marked 'Not for Sale' at nearly ₹20,000 each. A total of 54 tickets were recovered from their possession.
Who are the three accused arrested in the IPL ticket racket?
The three accused are Mukeem (35) from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh; Gufran alias Sajid (36) from Okhla's Jamia Nagar, Delhi; and Md. Faisal (38) from Seelampur, Delhi. All three are currently in police remand.
How were the accused operating the IPL ticket black market?
The accused allegedly posed as authorised DDCA representatives to gain buyers' trust, travelled by air to different IPL venues, and procured tickets through multiple sources. They reportedly also supplied premium tickets to online betting operatives and criminal elements inside stadiums.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
An FIR dated 9 May was registered under Sections 316(2), 318(2), 319, 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Delhi Police Station Crime Branch. Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate.
Do the arrested accused have prior criminal records?
Yes. Gufran was booked in a cheating case in Delhi in 2011; Faisal has prior theft and gambling cases in Delhi and Punjab; and Mukeem was allegedly involved in a ticket black marketing case during the Auto Expo in Faridabad, Haryana.
