IPL 2026 final ticket black market: Two arrested in Ahmedabad with ₹1.25 lakh haul
Synopsis
Two Ahmedabad men were caught trying to flip IPL 2026 final tickets at nearly three times the face value — part of a recurring black-market pattern at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With ₹3,500 tickets on offer for ₹10,000 and general seats already sold out, the arrests underscore how scarcity and high demand are turning marquee cricket finals into a touting hotspot.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested Mann Patel, 19 and Safiq alias Bunny Mohammad Ayub Ansari, 24 on 29 May 2026 for IPL final ticket black-marketing.
Four IPL 2026 final tickets recovered; originals priced at ₹3,500 were being resold at ₹10,000 each.
Total seized property — tickets and two mobile phones — valued at ₹1.25 lakh .
Case registered under Sections 33(1)(Ex) and 131 of the Gujarat Police Act at DCB police station.
Ahmedabad police had earlier arrested seven people in separate operations for black-marketing tickets to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final at the same venue.
The IPL 2026 final is scheduled for 31 May at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad .
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested two men on Friday, 29 May for allegedly black-marketing tickets for the IPL 2026 final, scheduled at the Narendra Modi Stadium on 31 May. Officers intercepted the suspects during a patrol on Sindhu Bhavan Road as part of a city-wide crackdown on unauthorised ticket resale ahead of the high-profile fixture.
The Arrests and Seizures
The accused were identified as Mann Patel, 19, a resident of Galleria Tulip on Premchandnagar Road, Bodakdev, and Safiq alias Bunny Mohammad Ayub Ansari, 24, a resident of Kamdar Maidan, Gomtipur. Officers recovered four IPL final tickets from their possession, along with two mobile phones — a Vivo handset valued at ₹25,000 and an Apple iPhone 17 Pro valued at ₹1 lakh. The total value of seized property was estimated at ₹1.25 lakh.
A case has been registered at the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) police station under Sections 33(1)(Ex) and 131 of the Gujarat Police Act.
The Markup: ₹3,500 Tickets Sold for ₹10,000
'The original price of the seized tickets is ₹3,500 each. They were selling at ₹10,000. As of now, they have not sold any tickets. They bought the tickets online and went out to sell at an inflated price,' an official said. The markup represents nearly three times the face value — a pattern that has become routine around marquee cricket events at the stadium.
Broader Crackdown Across Ahmedabad
Separate police teams had been deployed across Ahmedabad to monitor black marketing and unauthorised resale ahead of the final. Acting on specific intelligence, officers intercepted the two suspects during a routine patrol, officials said.
Notably, this is not the first such operation this cricket season. In March 2026, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested two men near the Gujarat Vidyapith ST bus stand in Usmanpura for allegedly black-marketing tickets for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand. Police recovered eight tickets from those accused, who were allegedly demanding ₹10,000 per ticket — again roughly three times the original price.
In a separate operation ahead of the same T20 World Cup final, Ahmedabad police arrested five people in raids near the Narendra Modi Stadium and other city locations. In that case, tickets originally priced at ₹2,000 were allegedly being offered for as much as ₹22,000, and authorities also received complaints about suspected counterfeit tickets circulating online.
High Demand Fuelling the Black Market
Ticket demand for the IPL 2026 final has remained intense since sales opened earlier this month, with general-category tickets selling out shortly after release. The scarcity premium has created fertile ground for touts, who have increasingly shifted to online purchase-and-resell operations — a trend that complicates enforcement.
With the final just days away, Ahmedabad police are expected to maintain heightened surveillance around the stadium and key transit points across the city.
Point of View
And the real deterrent — platform-level enforcement against bulk online purchases — remains absent. Until BCCI and ticketing platforms impose and enforce per-buyer purchase caps with identity verification, touts will simply adapt their methods.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested for IPL 2026 final ticket black-marketing in Ahmedabad?
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested Mann Patel, 19 , of Bodakdev, and Safiq alias Bunny Mohammad Ayub Ansari, 24 , of Gomtipur, on 29 May 2026. They were intercepted during a patrol on Sindhu Bhavan Road and found carrying four IPL final tickets intended for resale at inflated prices.
What was the black-market price for IPL 2026 final tickets?
The tickets had a face value of ₹3,500 each but were being offered for ₹10,000 — nearly three times the original price. According to police, the accused had purchased the tickets online and had not yet completed any sales when they were caught.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
A case has been registered at the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) police station under Sections 33(1)(Ex) and 131 of the Gujarat Police Act . Two mobile phones, including an Apple iPhone 17 Pro, were also seized as part of the investigation.
Has Ahmedabad seen similar crackdowns before?
Yes. In March 2026 , the Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested two men near the Gujarat Vidyapith ST bus stand for black-marketing tickets to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final. Separately, five more people were arrested near Narendra Modi Stadium in the same period, with some tickets priced at ₹2,000 allegedly being sold for ₹22,000.
When and where is the IPL 2026 final being held?
The IPL 2026 final is scheduled for 31 May 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat . General-category tickets sold out shortly after release, contributing to high secondary-market demand.
