Mumbai: A former Mumbai Under-19 cricketer, Balwant Singh Swaroop Singh Sodha, was arrested by the DB Marg police for his alleged involvement in black marketing tickets for the T20 World Cup semi-final match between India and England.

According to police officials, Sodha, 26, is the seventh accused in the case, which has exposed a wider racket involved in the illegal resale of match tickets at inflated prices. Authorities have seized his mobile phone and its data is currently being analysed to trace the source of the tickets and identify other individuals linked to the network.

Sodha allegedly sold two tickets priced at Rs 25,000 each. However, he has not yet disclosed how he procured them. “We are examining his call data records to trace further links in the racket,” a police officer said as quoted by media.

The incident came to light earlier this month after police received a tip-off about a man selling match tickets at exorbitant rates. Acting on the information, officers conducted a sting operation and posed as buyers. They apprehended Aditya Raorane at a coffee shop in Vile Parle when he agreed to sell two tickets at Rs 25,000 each.

During interrogation, Raorane told police that he had sourced the tickets from Siddharth Sabhapati. Following this lead, police asked Raorane to contact Sabhapati for additional tickets. Sabhapati allegedly sent two more tickets through another accomplice, Meghan Sandesh Pradhan, who was later arrested at the same location. A total of four tickets were seized during this operation.

Police said the accused were part of a conspiracy to resell complimentary and subsidised tickets issued by the Mumbai Cricket Association at much higher prices. So far, 24 tickets have been seized and officials have written to the association seeking details about their distribution.

A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act. Prior to Sodha’s arrest, six other accused, including Raorane and his associates, had already been taken into custody. Further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the racket and identify additional suspects involved.

Mumbai: A 29-year-old woman from Thane’s Mumbra was cheated of Rs 6.75 lakh by a man posing as an NRI on a matrimonial site and an unknown woman who helped him. An FIR has been registered against the man and an unidentified woman who is believed to have assisted in the fraud.

The fraud reportedly took place between January and March 2026. the woman connected with the accused, identified as Adnan Ahmed, on a matrimonial site. The man claimed he was a resident of the UK and also intended to marry the victim, saying that he would be in India in three months. Their conversations moved to WhatsApp, where their connection grew, and he gained her trust.

However, suddenly on January 27, the accused allegedly contacted the woman, claiming he was in India and the customs officials at Delhi airport had seized his gold and foreign currency. Not just this, a woman posing as an immigration officer also called the victim.

The accused claimed that he needed urgent funds to pay the ‘fines and clearances’ to retrieve his belongings. The victim transferred Rs 6.75 lakh between February 2 and March 12 from her accounts to various bank accounts provided by the accused.

But to her shock, the accused stopped responding to her calls and messages, and she filed a complaint. Based on a complaint, the Mumbra police on March 26 registered an FIR against Adnan Ahmed and an unidentified woman.

Nashik: Troubles continue to mount for self-styled astrologer Ashok Kharat as Nashik Police have registered two more criminal cases against him, including a fresh rape complaint, taking the total number of cases to 10.

According to police officials, eight of these cases relate to rape and sexual exploitation, while two involve allegations of cheating and financial fraud. The latest FIRs were registered by the Sarkarwada Police Station on Friday night,

Details On The Recent Complaints

In the most recent complaint, a married woman alleged that Kharat sexually assaulted her four times between August and December 2024. The complainant stated that she had visited Kharat’s office at Canada Corner in Nashik along with her husband. Following a pattern seen in earlier cases, Kharat allegedly asked her husband to wait outside before sedating and assaulting her inside his chamber.

Police said the woman approached authorities only after Kharat’s arrest on March 18, indicating that more victims may come forward as the investigation progresses.

In a separate case, a trader from Ahilyanagar district, Rajendra Nanasaheb Bhagwat (39), accused Kharat of cheating him of Rs 2.62 lakh over three years. Bhagwat told police that Kharat had advised him to wear gemstone rings to improve his business fortunes. However, after the accused’s arrest, the complainant discovered that the stones were fake and the rings were made of copper instead of gold. Bhagwat also alleged that he had given Kharat gold rings weighing over 20 grams.

Kharat, who built a reputation as a numerologist advising clients, including prominent individuals, on business and personal matters, is now under investigation for multiple serious offences, including rape, extortion, and cheating.

Meanwhile, the district administration has taken parallel action by suspending Kharat’s firearm licence. Ayush Prasad confirmed that a show-cause notice has been issued, asking why the licence should not be permanently cancelled.

Officials said the move followed the recovery of five used cartridges from Kharat’s farmhouse. Authorities are now probing whether the firearm was used in any незакон activities. Records show that the licence was first granted in 2014 and renewed as recently as 2024.

With multiple cases emerging and investigations intensifying, the Kharat case has taken a serious turn, raising concerns over alleged abuse of influence and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of spiritual guidance.