Mumbai, March 6: A significant ticket scalping case has emerged ahead of the T20 World Cup semi-final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium. The Mumbai Crime Branch’s Anti-Extortion Cell has arrested a suspect involved in this illegal activity.
According to the Crime Branch, the accused was selling tickets at prices far exceeding the official rates set by the ICC. He was reportedly selling one ticket for as much as ₹25,000 in the black market. Authorities recovered ten tickets for the India-England semi-final match and a mobile phone from the suspect.
Police revealed that the individual resides in Dongri and is an avid cricket fan. He wanted to watch the semi-final match in the stadium with his friends. During his search for tickets, he learned about a man named Zaheer Kamaluddin Bame, who was selling tickets at inflated prices.
The suspect stated that ticket prices fluctuate daily and would always be higher than the ICC’s designated rates. On March 4, the two communicated again, during which the accused demanded ₹25,000 for one ticket and asked to meet near a restaurant on Dockyard Road. The individual then informed a Crime Branch officer about this arrangement.
To apprehend the suspect, the Crime Branch devised a plan. Their team arrived near Gani Building, close to Nawab Hayat Mosque on Dockyard Road. Shortly after, Zaheer Kamaluddin Bame (51) arrived at the location, where he was arrested by plainclothes officers from the Crime Branch. A search revealed a mobile phone and ten tickets for various pavilions at Wankhede Stadium. The Crime Branch is now investigating the source of these tickets and whether a larger syndicate is involved in this operation.
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