In a strange case that only surfaced after an internal board audit discovered missing merchandise, a security manager in his 40s at Mumbai's famous Wankhede Stadium was arrested for allegedly stealing 261 IPL 2025 jerseys valued at Rs 6.52 lakh from the BCCI headquarters premises.
A whole carton of jerseys was allegedly stolen by the accused, Farooque Aslam Khan, from a warehouse in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) office in Wankhede, Churchgate. Police claim that the overall value of the stolen goods exceeds six and a half lakh rupees, with each jersey valued at about Rs 2,500.
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Earlier this month, BCCI officials conducted an audit that found disparities in jersey stock. When employees watched CCTV footage on June 13, they saw Khan taking a big cardboard box out of the storeroom, which immediately raised suspicions. On July 17, a complaint was filed at the Marine Drive police station.
According to police investigations, Khan sold the stolen jerseys to a Haryana-based online trader he had contacted with on social media. According to reports, the guard informed the dealer that the jerseys were being offloaded as part of a "stock clearance sale" since the BCCI office was undergoing renovations.
“The dealer claims he had no idea the jerseys were stolen,” stated one of the investigating police officers. Only 50 of the 261 jerseys have been found thus far.
Khan admitted during interrogation that he had been using the proceeds from the sale to finance his developing internet gambling addiction.
“He received the payment directly into his bank account and claims to have lost it all on gambling platforms,” the officer added, mentioning that an examination of bank records is underway to support this assertion.
It's unclear if the multiple-team jerseys that were taken were meant for public retail distribution or for IPL players' official wear. The investigation is still underway, and the police have called the Haryana-based dealer for more questioning.
Khan is currently free on bail after being detained a few days ago after being charged with theft and criminal breach of trust under the appropriate provisions. Although the BCCI has not yet provided an official statement, it is rumored that it is currently evaluating its internal security procedures in the wake of the event.
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