Black-marketing: Shivaji Park Gymkhana member arrested

Less than a week after members of two prestigious sports clubs in Mumbai were arrested for alleged black-marketing of complimentary passes to Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th Test match,the city police Monday arrested a member of another sports club in central Mumbai in connection with a similar racket.

Crime branch officers identified the suspect as Suryakant Chavan,a member of Shivaji Park Gymkhana. On Friday,four men from Hyderabad were detained while trying to enter the Wankhede stadium to watch the match using complimentary passes issued by Maharashtra Cricket Association to sports clubs. When asked how they had got the passes,they told the police that they had paid a total of Rs 1.20 lakh,that is Rs 30,000 a pass,to a Mumbai resident.

“We questioned the man into whose account the four had transferred the money and he told us that he had only given his account details to that the money could be transferred on his friend’s instructions and then withdrew and gave the entire amount to the friend. After further investigations,we identified the ‘friend’ as Chavan and apprehended him,” said an officer.

The arrest has further pointed to members of sports clubs in Mumbai being involved in black marketing of complimentary passes to cricket matches,which are transferable but cannot be sold as per law.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com