A Bengaluru musician found himself entangled in a black ticket scam during IPL 2026 after his Instagram post inadvertently exposed his official ID card. Fraudsters allegedly used the details to collect Rs 4,875 via UPI, prompting a police investigation.
Hemanth K B, guitarist of the local band Sakkare Mitaayi, had performed at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) home matches in the Platinum Lounge at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The event partner, DNA Entertainment, had issued him and his band members official ID cards for stadium access.
The trouble began after the inaugural match on March 28, when Hemanth shared photos from the event on Instagram. The front of his ID card was visible in the post, unknowingly giving fraudsters access to his credentials.
On April 6, the band’s drummer, Pruthiv, received a call from event organisers informing them that the ID card was being misused in a black ticket racket. Hemanth immediately lodged a complaint with Bengaluru police.
Investigators discovered that an unidentified individual had allegedly used Hemanth’s ID details to collect Rs 4,875 from unsuspecting buyers via UPI. Police have traced the amount to the suspect’s mobile number and transaction ID and are actively pursuing the case.
The incident serves as a cautionary tale for event personnel to safeguard official IDs and personal details, especially on social media platforms.
