Hyderabad police arrest HCA member for selling complimentary tickets

Hyderabad Police have detained four men after they allegedly sold nine complimentary passes for the fourth India-West Indies T20I at inflated rates. The accused include HCA member Satish Chandra Srivastava, his son Akarshit Srivastava, Avinash Darak and Mohit Somani. Officers recovered 11 passes stamped ‘Not For Sale’ and eight Navratri Dandiya passes, along with Rs 5,000 in cash, phones and a two-wheeler.

The arrests followed a tip-off received by Goshamahal Police near SD Mall in Begum Bazar on October 12. According to India Today, Darak and Somani told investigators they had received the passes from Akarshit, who obtained them from his father, and had advertised them on WhatsApp and Instagram. Police say the passes were offered at between Rs 3,500 and Rs 6,000 each, depending on the pavilion.

All four were arrested on October 13 and sent to judicial custody. A case has been filed under Sections 112(1) and 318(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita plus Section 21(gg) of the City Police Act; the probe continues.