Kolkata, India: The city of joy is buzzing with excitement as the much-anticipated IPL 2025 season kicks off today with a grand opening ceremony. Adding to the fervor, Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner, Shahrukh Khan, has arrived in the city to cheer for his team. With KKR set to face off against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Eden Gardens, cricket enthusiasts are scrambling for tickets, leading to a surge in demand—and an unfortunate rise in black marketing.
Police Crack Down on Ticket Black Market
Amid the cricket frenzy, the Kolkata Police have intensified their efforts to tackle illegal ticket sales. On the eve of the opening match, two individuals were apprehended for selling IPL tickets at inflated prices.
According to the police, a complaint was lodged by Dhiraj Mali (33), a resident of Seth Bagan Lane, Kolkata, who alleged that he was duped after responding to a social media post by one Ashish Sharma, claiming to have match tickets. Mali contacted Sharma and was directed to meet an associate, Piyush Mahendra, at Girish Park. Upon handing over Rs 20,000 in cash, Mali received an envelope containing two Rs 2,000 tickets and two complimentary ones. Realizing he had been deceived, he attempted to reach Sharma, who stopped answering calls.
Based on Mali’s complaint, a case was registered at Girish Park Police Station (Case No-37, Dated: 21.03.25) under the West Bengal Black Marketing Act, 1948. The Anti-Rowdy Section of the Detective Department swiftly acted, leading to the arrest of Piyush Mahendra and his associate Kamal Hussain from Mitra Lane, Kolkata. Authorities recovered 17 tickets, four complimentary passes, two mobile phones, and Rs 20,600 in cash. The investigation is ongoing to track down other members of the racket.
