Four Held for Selling Fake IPL Tickets Made Using ChatGPT and CorelDRAW

An interstate gang that allegedly used ChatGPT , graphic design software and counterfeit printing techniques to create and sell fake IPL tickets outside Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium has been busted with the arrest of four persons, police said.

The accused allegedly sourced images of original Indian Premier League tickets from Facebook, Instagram and YouTube before redesigning them using CorelDRAW software and AI-assisted inputs to make them appear genuine. Police said the gang used ChatGPT to understand ticket dimensions, barcode layouts, paper specifications and print quality so the forged tickets closely resembled authentic entry passes.

The arrested accused were identified as Srikant Borkar (30), Nutan Kumar Sahu (28), Rajendra Chaudhary (29) and Vishwajeet Sahu (22), all residents of Durg district in Chhattisgarh. According to police, Vishwajeet, a 2D/3D designer , handled the fake ticket editing work, while the others managed printing, sales and online payments. Investigators said the educational and technical backgrounds of the accused helped them replicate tickets with “surprising accuracy”.

Police said the gang printed the forged tickets on 170-GSM paper sheets and sold them to cricket fans outside the stadium during the IPL match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where excitement around Virat Kohli allegedly helped boost illegal sales. One counterfeit ticket reportedly even carried Kohli’s name.

The case surfaced after Jalaun resident Pradeep Singh bought two tickets for Rs 1,000 through a UPI transaction , only to be stopped at the entry gate after barcode verification failed. Police traced the accused through digital payment records and arrested them near Dodankheda crossing during a joint operation by the Lucknow Cyber Cell and Sushant Golf City police.

During interrogation, the accused admitted they had earlier attempted to sell fake tickets outside Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium before refining their designs and shifting operations to Lucknow. Police recovered 15 fake IPL tickets, blank sheets, paper cutters, four mobile phones, an ASUS laptop, ATM cards, bank documents and the Ritz car allegedly used in the racket. Further investigation is underway.