IPL tickets on black market: Karnataka cricket association distances itself, says it doesn’t sell tickets to public

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police arrested Chandrashekar P, 49, employed with Sri Lakshmi Caterers inside the stadium, for his alleged involvement in the illegal sale of IPL tickets during the RCB versus Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) match held on April 15.

Officers said he was caught with over 100 tickets, allegedly procured through corporate bookings and diverted for resale at inflated prices outside the stadium.

Preliminary investigation suggests the tickets were sourced through bulk allocations made to private firms, with about 50 tickets each allegedly linked to two corporate entities.

The police also identified another accused, Ganesh Harikesh, who is absconding and is believed to be the key operator. He procured tickets through corporate-linked and online channels, while Chandrashekar handled resale near the stadium, according to the police.

In a parallel investigation, officers also traced a larger network involving the diversion of 181 tickets worth around Rs 17.52 lakh. These tickets were allegedly procured through bulk booking channels, including corporate-linked and online allocations, and later routed into the black market through intermediaries, highlighting how corporate quota allocations continue to serve as a key supply channel for illegal resale networks.

Investigations indicate that while M-ticketing has reduced over-the-counter and individual-level ticket resale, it has not fully plugged this diversion route. Police sources said bulk tickets booked under company names are being rerouted before reaching legitimate employees or end-users, effectively sustaining a parallel supply chain for black marketing.

A senior police officer said that regulating ticket allocation is beyond the mandate of law enforcement, as it involves multiple stakeholders, including KSCA, franchise allocations, corporate quotas, and online sales platforms.

Mruthyunjaya further said in the statement, “KSCA shall extend its full co-operation to the investigating authorities and urges them to conduct a comprehensive inquiry, identify the offenders, and take appropriate action in accordance with law against any entity or individual involved in such unlawful activities.”