‘Watching IPL with friends common’: Court relief for student caught for ‘black’ ticket sale in CSK, MI match

4 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026 12:19 PM IST

The petitioner allegedly used abusive words against police personnel, besides holding IPL match tickets worth Rs 4,000 and selling it for Rs 7,000 and Rs 12,000. (AI-generated image)

Observing that it is common for cricket enthusiasts to attend IPL matches with friends, the Madras High Court has quashed an FIR against a college student accused of black-marketing IPL tickets ahead of a Chennai Super Kings-Mumbai Indians match, as it found no grounds to continue with the case.

Allowing the plea filed by the final-year BSc Data Science student, Justice M Nirmal Kumar held that continuing the criminal case would unnecessarily jeopardise his education and future employment prospects. “It is common for cricket enthusiasts to go as a group witness the matches and have fun, IPL tournament, an annual feature with fun and joy and during this period, watching cricket match with friends as a group is common,” the order dated June 2 read. The high court noted that there were no grounds to continue with the case.

According to the court records, the petitioner, who is a final-year college student in Chennai, contended that he intended to attend an Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

He submitted that he had purchased 10 tickets from the open market at higher rates and was keeping them with him for his friends and family members. The petitioner argued that he had no intention to sell it to any third person and was waiting near the match venue with the tickets for the arrival of his friends.

He claimed that when the police questioned him, he informed them that he was waiting for his friends with tickets and that they were all going to a cricket match. It was further stated that he is not a person who is holding the tickets and selling them for higher rates.

Justice M Nirmal Kumar observed that the petitioner is a college-going student and a cricket player with no criminal antecedents. (AI-enhanced image)

‘Police received info’

The primary allegation made against the petitioner was that he used abusive words against the police who intended to search him, and that he was holding IPL match tickets to the value of Rs 4,000 and sell it for Rs 7,000 and Rs 12,000.

On the other hand, the counsel for the state alleged that police personnel deployed near the stadium on March 21, 2025, received secret information that IPL tickets were being sold at inflated prices.

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They claimed that the petitioner attempted to flee after being questioned, pushed a police officer, and admitted that he intended to resell tickets purchased for Rs 4,000 at prices ranging from Rs 7,000 to Rs 12,000. The police also alleged that they seized 20 IPL tickets from him and registered a First Information Report (FIR) under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Tamil Nadu City Police Act.

Court’s findings

The high court noted that no member of the public had complained about the petitioner selling IPL tickets at higher rates in the black market.

The petitioner is a college-going student and a cricket player who plays for the club and for his college team. He has no criminal antecedents.

The student’s future could become “questionable, shattered” due to the case.

Relief for student

Holding that there was no justification for allowing the investigation to continue, the court allowed the plea and quashed the FIR. “This court finds no ground to continue with the case…against the petitioner and is liable to be quashed. Accordingly FIR…is quashed as against the petitioner,” it stated.

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Ashish Shaji is a Senior Sub-Editor at The Indian Express, where he specializes in legal journalism. Combining a formal education in law with years of editorial experience, Ashish provides authoritative coverage and nuanced analysis of court developments and landmark judicial decisions for a national audience.

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black market

IPL tickets

Madras High Court