Four Journeys on a Single Rs 45 Ticket: AI-Generated Fake Rail Ticket Uncovered on Marudhar Express

Jodhpur: A shocking example of the extent to which technology can be misused has emerged aboard the Marudhar Express. During ticket inspections in the North Western Railway’s Jodhpur Division, a major scam involving fraudulent rail tickets created with the help of Artificial Intelligence was exposed.

When Train No. 14863 (Marudhar Express), travelling from Varanasi City, reached its destination in Jodhpur, the TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner) began a routine inspection. During this, two young men from Karnataka presented digital tickets on their mobile phones. The TTE grew suspicious of the ticket's format and specific details.

The truth came to light when the TTE scanned and matched the ticket’s UTS number using a handheld terminal. The investigation revealed that the ticket the passengers were using to travel to Jodhpur was actually issued on 22 March for a journey between Kunigal and Channarayapatna in Karnataka, costing a mere ₹45.

Misuse of AI Tools

The investigation led to the sensational disclosure that the accused had used AI tools to edit the data of an old ticket. While retaining the original UTS number, they altered the date, train number, and route.

Incredibly, this single UTS number had been used to travel four separate times on different dates. The repeated use of the same number eventually triggered an alarm within the railway's system.

Taking the matter seriously, the railway administration imposed a heavy fine on both passengers for travelling without valid tickets. Furthermore, based on a detailed report by the Commercial Inspector, both men have been handed over to the GRP (Government Railway Police). The police are now attempting to determine if an organised gang is involved in the racket.