Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has summoned Ashish Hemrajani, CEO and co-founder of BookMyShow, and the company’s technical head in connection with allegations of black marketing tickets for the upcoming Coldplay concert in Mumbai.
The British rock band is scheduled to perform at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium from January 19 to 21, 2025. The investigation follows a complaint filed by advocate Amit Vyas, accusing the ticketing platform of facilitating exorbitant resale of tickets originally priced at Rs 2,500.
Allegations of Ticket Scalping
The controversy arose when Vyas filed a police complaint, claiming that Coldplay tickets were being resold by third parties and influencers for as much as Rs 3 lakh. He alleged that BookMyShow deceived Coldplay fans by enabling this black marketing, and demanded legal action against the platform for fraud. The Mumbai Police’s EOW has already recorded Vyas’ statement and identified several brokers involved in the alleged ticket scalping. Hemrajani and BookMyShow’s technical head have been called to record their statements on Saturday.
Political Reactions and Demands for Investigation
The Opposition Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has also raised concerns about a potential “nexus” engaged in the black marketing of Coldplay tickets. In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey expressed disappointment that genuine fans were unable to secure tickets when they sold out within minutes online. Dubey urged the government to intervene and investigate the matter thoroughly to prevent such exploitation.
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BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam echoed similar sentiments, calling for stringent action against those involved in ticket scalping. “Whoever is involved in this matter should be in jail. We will not allow any black marketing in the state,” Kadam said, reinforcing the need for accountability.
Technical Glitches and Increased Demand
The sale for Coldplay’s Mumbai concert began on September 22, and the overwhelming demand caused BookMyShow’s platform to crash. The British rock band, returning to India after an eight-year break, had initially scheduled two shows but later added a third show due to high demand as part of their “Music of the Spheres World Tour 2025.”
This incident has drawn significant attention, and many hope that the ongoing investigation will provide clarity and accountability for fans who missed out on purchasing tickets at the original price.
