Taking home an IPL jersey might be a fan’s dream. But for one man, it turned into a crime. A 40-year-old security guard has been arrested for stealing an entire carton of IPL 2025 jerseys from the BCCI office at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The man, identified as Farooque Aslam Khan, allegedly made away with 261 jerseys, each worth about Rs 2,500. That adds up to a total of Rs 6.52 lakh. The jerseys were reportedly lifted from a storeroom inside the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) office.
Police say Khan was hooked on online gambling and sold the jerseys to support his habit. He reportedly contacted an online jersey dealer from Haryana through social media and sent the stolen goods by courier.
How the theft came to light
Although the jerseys were stolen on June 13, the theft was only discovered during a recent stock audit. BCCI officials checked CCTV footage and spotted Khan carrying a large cardboard box out of the building.
The Haryana-based dealer has been questioned by police. He claims he didn’t know the jerseys were stolen, saying Khan told him they were part of a stock clearance during office renovations.
Only 50 jerseys recovered so far
Out of 261 jerseys, only 50 have been recovered. Police are now checking Khan’s bank records after he claimed he lost all the money to online betting.
A formal complaint was filed by a BCCI official at the Marine Drive police station on July 17. The investigation is ongoing, with police now verifying Khan’s gambling claims and trying to trace the rest of the stolen jerseys.
Social media reacts
An X (formerly Twitter) user shared his thoughts on this theft by saying, “That’s what desperation looks like. Wonder how many other thefts happen due to gambling addiction that we never hear about.”
That's what desperation looks like. Wonder how many other thefts happen due to gambling addiction that we never hear about.
— Karthik (@datadonkey_) July 29, 2025