The Mumbai Police have called in the CEO of BookMyShow and a senior team member to answer questions about alleged black market ticket sales for the upcoming Coldplay concert in Mumbai.
Ashish Hemrajani, who is the CEO of Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited (the company that owns and operates BookMyShow), along with the company’s technical head, have been asked to meet with the police on Saturday. The police’s Economic Offences Wing is handling the case.
This action was taken after advocate Amit Vyas filed a complaint, claiming that tickets for the popular British band Coldplay’s concert were being sold illegally, outside the normal channels. The police are now investigating the matter to see if there was any wrongdoing by the ticketing platform.
BookMyShow CEO Summoned by Mumbai Police
The CEO and co-founder of BookMyShow, Ashish Hemrajani, along with the company’s technical head, have been summoned by Mumbai Police in connection with alleged black marketing of Coldplay concert tickets. This investigation is being led by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police, following a complaint by advocate Amit Vyas.
Vyas has accused BookMyShow of enabling third parties and influencers to resell tickets for Coldplay’s January 2025 concert at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium. Originally priced at ₹2,500, these tickets are allegedly being resold for up to ₹3 lakh.
The police have asked Hemrajani and the technical head to appear on Saturday, September 28, 2024, to give their statements. Vyas claims that this resale scheme misled Coldplay fans and is calling for fraud charges to be brought against the platform.
The EOW has already recorded Vyas’ statement and identified brokers suspected of being involved in the illegal ticket scalping.
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Coldplay 2025 Mumbai Concert
Coldplay is returning to India after eight years with performances scheduled in Mumbai on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, as part of their ‘Music of the Spheres’ World Tour. Ticket sales on BookMyShow opened at 12 PM on September 22 but faced technical issues, and all tickets for the three shows were sold out within seconds.
Originally, tickets were priced between Rs 2,500 and Rs 35,000. However, resellers have listed tickets for prices ranging from Rs 35,000 to as high as Rs 3 lakh on platforms like Viagogo.
BookMyShow Warns Against Ticket Scams
Earlier this week, BookMyShow clarified that it has no affiliation with ticket-selling or reselling platforms like Viagogo and Gigsberg, nor with any third-party individuals involved in reselling tickets. The company urged the public to avoid falling for such scams, warning that tickets purchased from unauthorized sources carry the risk of being fake.
BookMyShow also emphasized that bulk buying and reselling of tickets is illegal in India. The company has filed a complaint with the authorities and is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Uddhav Camp Alleges “Black-Marketing” of Coldplay Tickets
The Opposition Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has raised concerns about a potential “nexus involved in the black-marketing” of tickets for the Coldplay concert in India and is calling for a thorough investigation.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey stated in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that tickets reportedly sold out within minutes, leaving many genuine fans disappointed. He expressed concern that this situation exploits the enthusiasm of young fans who are eager to spend their parents’ hard-earned money to attend the concert.
Dubey urged Chief Minister Shinde to take action to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. Additionally, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also claimed that the concert organizers may be involved in ticket black-marketing.
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FAQs
Q.1. What is the reason behind the Mumbai Police summoning BookMyShow’s CEO?
Ans. The CEO was summoned due to allegations of black-market ticket sales for Coldplay’s concert, following a complaint from advocate Amit Vyas.
Q.2. How much were the Coldplay concert tickets originally priced?
Ans. The tickets were originally priced between ₹2,500 and ₹35,000 but are being resold for up to ₹3 lakh.
Q.3. Which police unit is handling the investigation into the ticket sales?
Ans. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police is investigating the alleged black-marketing of tickets.
Q.4. What did BookMyShow say regarding reselling platforms?
Ans. BookMyShow clarified that it has no affiliation with any ticket reselling platforms and warned consumers against purchasing from unauthorized sources.
Q.5. What action has the Opposition Shiv Sena taken regarding ticket sales?
Ans. The Shiv Sena has called for a thorough investigation into the alleged black-marketing of tickets, claiming it exploits young fans.
