Three Arrested for Black-marketing Railway Tickets
Mangaluru: The Railway Protection Force (RPF), led by sub-inspector Bharat Raj, found three persons trying to sell tickets bought in advance to other passengers at exorbitant fares on Saturday.
Ravi Rajendra Shetty (30) of Kenjar Gundottu, Kiran J Bhat (35) of Chilimbi and Umesh (41) of Valencia in the city were standing in the regular queue at the central railway station, waiting for their turn to buy tickets.
They bought tickets under Tatkal scheme and later were trying to pass them on to other passengers at a high-profit margin.
Alerted by their suspicious activities, the RPF team took them into custody and interrogated them. They confessed to having come to buy tickets and sell them on the black market.
Tickets valued Rs 7,320 from seized from Ravi, Rs 4,960 from Umesh and Rs 8,655 from Kiran. The total value was Rs 20,935.
They were produced and court and they have been remanded to judicial custody.
Regular travellers allege that this racket has been going on for years. It was only a one-off seizure.
Another passenger felt that unless the railway counter staff were hand in glove in this deal, there was no way that it could flourish like this.
He sought to know from the higher officials at the railway station and railway division how it was possible for single individuals to obtain tickets valued at thousands of rupees at a time on a day.
For tatkal tickets you are supposed to submit proof identity at the time of booking. How can the same be changed later? Counter staff are also to be arrested if there is proof against the trio.