An outdated reference to “Raj Bhavan” on allegedly forged railway reservation letters helped authorities uncover a suspected VVIP ticket racket that had operated for nearly two years. Police allege that Amrish Thakkar, a former garment trader from Ghatkopar, used documents purportedly issued by the Governor’s office to obtain confirmed railway tickets for passengers.

The scheme reportedly came under scrutiny in February 2026 when Central Railway officials received two suspicious reservation requests concerning the LTT–Rajgir Express and Chhapra Express. The requests were forwarded to Lok Bhavan for verification, where officials noticed that the documents continued to carry the institution’s former name, Raj Bhavan.

The discrepancy was significant because Raj Bhavan had officially been renamed Lok Bhavan in January 2026 following a Ministry of Home Affairs directive intended to replace colonial-era terminology. Investigators believe Thakkar continued using forged letterheads carrying the old name, inadvertently providing authorities with a clear indication that the requests had not originated from the Governor’s office.

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According to police, Thakkar entered the railway-ticket business after his garment operation collapsed during the Covid-19 pandemic. He initially helped passengers secure confirmed reservations through genuine VIP-quota requests and allegedly collected a commission of approximately ₹200 for each ticket. The arrangement reportedly expanded as demand for confirmed seats increased.

Investigators allege that Thakkar later began creating fraudulent reservation requests after railway officials stopped accepting the volume of applications being submitted. By making the documents appear as though they came from a constitutional office, the racket allegedly persuaded railway personnel to process bookings under special quotas normally reserved for official or urgent travel requirements.

The suspected operation is believed to have deceived hundreds of passengers and numerous railway officials while also misusing the identity of the Governor’s establishment. Authorities are examining the scale of the racket, the number of tickets obtained and whether other individuals were involved. The allegations against Thakkar remain subject to investigation and judicial determination.

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