Investigators Trace Criminal Network In Delhi IPL 'Not For Sale' Tickets Case

A Delhi Police Crime Branch investigation has exposed an alleged illegal IPL ticket resale racket in which individuals were reportedly posing as authorised representatives of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and selling complimentary passes marked “Not For Sale” at inflated prices in the black market.

The case came to light after three men were arrested near Delhi Gate in the old quarters of the national capital on May 8, following a planned trap laid by the Crime Branch. The accused have been identified as Mukeem (35), a resident of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh; Gufran alias Sajid (36), from Okhla in Delhi; and Md. Faisal (38), from Seelampur in northeast Delhi. According to investigators, the trio had been presenting themselves as DDCA-authorised agents in order to gain credibility among buyers and facilitate the illegal sale of IPL tickets.

At the time of their arrest, police recovered 54 Indian Premier League (IPL) match tickets from their possession. This included 33 complimentary passes that were clearly stamped “Not For Sale,” indicating they were intended for non-commercial distribution. Despite these restrictions, the tickets were allegedly being resold for as much as ₹20,000 per ticket, pointing to a lucrative black-market operation targeting high-demand cricket matches where ticket availability is limited and demand is significantly higher than supply.

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Preliminary findings suggest that the accused were not operating from a single fixed location but were instead moving between cities as IPL matches progressed across venues. Investigators believe this mobility helped them avoid detection while continuing their activities in different jurisdictions. The alleged pattern indicates a coordinated effort to exploit the tournament’s nationwide schedule and the high value associated with marquee matches.

The operation leading to the arrests was carried out by inspectors Man Singh and Sunder Gautam of the Anti-Rowdy Squad Cell (ARSC) under the Crime Branch. The action was conducted under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sanjay Kumar Nagpal. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the team set up a targeted trap near Delhi Gate, successfully intercepting the accused while they were allegedly engaged in the illicit ticket trade.

During further interrogation, police arrested a fourth accused, Pankaj Yadav, who is believed to be connected to the wider network. He reportedly told investigators that the complimentary passes and “Not For Sale” tickets were sourced through DDCA General Manager and CEO Rakesh Rajan Singh, also known as RR Singh, along with his personal assistant, who is also named Rakesh. The allegations have widened the scope of the investigation, with police now examining possible institutional involvement and tracing the full chain of distribution within the alleged racket.

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