CR busts unauthorised e-ticket racket, files case against kingpin.

Mumbai: The Central Railway (CR) has begun a crackdown on touts as part of a drive where it has seized tickets worth Rs 1.47 crore. The drive has been started to ensure that passengers, whose numbers soar during the summer holidays, get tickets easily. To thwart touts, several measures have been taken, including re-location of CCTV cameras to identify familiar faces.

According to a CR press note, a few unauthorised softwares were operating in case of e-tickets which allowed unauthorised agents to bypass normal queues and seek confirmed reservation through illegal means.

Sunil Udasi, chief public relations officer, CR, said, “A malicious software was being used for this purpose and its main operator could be located through source information. There was vigorous surveillance, and further information in this regard was collected, verified, and the person behind the software was identified. Joint action was planned by vigilance, RPF, IRCTC and Mumbai division's commercial branch to nab the operator.”

Mr Udasi said that the kingpin of the racket was found with his laptop and 80 e-tickets worth Rs 104,465 were recovered from his software server.

“A case was registered against him under section 143 of the Railways Act at Byculla RPF. Further on May 3, the software server and system was deeply screened and 6603 PNRs with tickets amounting to Rs 14,714,850 were detected. These PNRs have been seized in the PRS system. Further investigation is underway to identify other persons behind this software and to know their modus operandi,” he said.