A railway booking agent was arrested in the city on Friday for allegedly using fake personal IDs in his e-ticket business for four years to make maximum profits.

Tatanagar railway police nabbed Rashid Siddique, 32, from his office-cum-residence at Dhatkidih in Bistupur.

RPF inspector M.K. Singh said Siddique was a registered IRCTC agent, but forged IDs to book tatkal tickets in individual capacity.

“Siddique had created three fake IDs, complete with names and addresses. He used them to access time slots meant for booking tatkal and premium tickets. Later, he sold these to interested parties at a profit of 25-30 per cent,” the officer said.

On why and how the racket was run, RPF sources explained said IRCTC agents were not allowed to make reservations within the first 15 minutes of tatkal booking window opening at 10am (AC coach) and 11am (non-AC) to prevent cornering or hoarding of tickets. Hence, the fake personal IDs.

“While an individual can book up to two tickets using his/her personal ID as soon as the tatkal window opens a day in advance, an authorised agent has to wait for 15 minutes. So, many agents who are well aware of the system forge IDs to grab tickets, which they later sell at a premium to whoever is willing to pay,” a railway police source said.

Before nailing Siddique, Tatanagar RPF had gathered information on and transaction details of his e-ticket business from the IRCTC’s New Delhi office.

“The accused has been in business since 2014, during which he has sold 385 tickets worth Rs 5.7 lakh. On an average, he charged Rs 300 extra for every tatkal ticket,” the RPF inspector said.

Siddique, who was arrested from his house in Dhatkidih Block A in the small hours, was forwarded to a railway court in Chaibasa in the afternoon.