The name Bipin Gaur became synonymous with illegal ticketing activities a few years ago, particularly when the Railway Protection Force (RPF) began cracking down on touts exploiting the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) portal. Using sophisticated software tools, these touts would book large numbers of tickets for profit. After an exhaustive search, the RPF tracked Gaur to a secluded village in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, where he conducted his illicit operations. He had even set up a surveillance camera to monitor his surroundings and deter any potential intruders.
The RPF was cautious in their approach, opting not to storm his residence for fear he might notice and destroy the software used for booking tickets. Their goal was to catch him in the act. Gopalkrishna Rai, a Sub Inspector with the Mumbai Division of Central Railway, described Gaur’s operations and how the police had to play the waiting game. “He was behind a software named ‘Nexus’ that allowed him to secure e-tickets from the IRCTC portal before anyone else. Our teams camped nearby for several days, but he remained vigilant and did not step outside,” Rai explained.
Eventually, Gaur was the one to make a move. On December 20, 2023, he exited his home to spit tobacco, providing the RPF with the opportunity to apprehend him right outside. Following his arrest, Gaur was taken to the Bhiwandi Road police station, where an FIR was filed against him. His capture resulted in the dismantling of an extensive network of ticket touts, leading to the arrest of 16 individuals, including Hyder Ali from Siwan, Bihar, who was allegedly involved in creating the ‘Nexus’ software.
Further investigation unveiled 23 suspicious bank transactions and 234 e-tickets worth approximately Rs 4.85 lakh. Of these, 94 tickets were for ongoing or upcoming journeys, totaling around Rs 2.20 lakh, and linked to five agent IDs and 684 personal user IDs. Police also identified and circulated 193 leads on suspected touts across various zones of the Indian Railways.
On October 13, during a function in Gujarat, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw awarded Rai a medal for “best investigation,” recognizing his crucial role in dismantling the IRCTC ticket scam.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/police-irctc-ticket-chew-tobacco-arrest/
Category: Cities,Mumbai
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Publish Date: 2025-10-16 15:57:00
