In a bizarre turn of events from the heart of Indian cricket administration, a 40-year-old security guard has been arrested for stealing an entire carton of IPL 2025 jerseys from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
The accused, identified as Farooque Aslam Khan, allegedly lifted 261 official IPL jerseys, each valued at approximately ₹2,500, leading to a total theft of ₹6.52 lakh. The theft reportedly took place on June 13, but it went unnoticed until a recent stock audit exposed the missing merchandise.
Online Gambling Led to Crime
According to Mumbai Police, Khan, who was deployed as a private security guard at the BCCI office, was addicted to online gambling. To support his habit, he hatched a plan to sell the stolen jerseys online.
Investigators revealed that Khan contacted a Haryana-based online jersey dealer through social media. He then couriered the stolen jerseys to the dealer, presenting them as part of a stock clearance sale due to supposed renovation work at the BCCI premises.
Only 50 Jerseys Recovered So Far
Of the 261 stolen jerseys, police have only managed to recover 50 so far. The Haryana dealer has been questioned, and while he claims he was unaware the jerseys were stolen, he admitted to purchasing them after being told they were part of surplus stock being cleared out.
“We are investigating whether the dealer had any prior knowledge about the stolen nature of the goods,” a police official said. “So far, we’re verifying the guard’s claim that he lost the money from the sale to gambling.”
The financial transaction between Khan and the dealer is also under scrutiny, as Khan has not disclosed how much he earned from the sale. Police are now tracking his bank records and betting history as part of the ongoing investigation.
Complaint Filed by BCCI
The BCCI filed a formal police complaint at the Marine Drive police station on July 17, after verifying CCTV footage showing Khan carrying a large cardboard box out of the building. The footage, along with stock discrepancy records, helped pinpoint the theft.
The stolen jerseys’ intended use remains unclear whether they were meant for fans, teams, or promotional purposes but officials confirmed they were part of the IPL 2025 stock.
The case has raised serious concerns about internal security lapses at one of India’s most important sporting bodies. Further investigation is underway to recover the remaining jerseys and determine if anyone else was involved.
