The BookMyShow CEO and Co-Founder Ashish Hemrajani and the company’s technical head have been summoned by Mumbai Police over the alleged black marketing of tickets for shows of British rock band Coldplay, an official said on Friday. The Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has initiated a probe on the complaint of an advocate, who accused the ticketing platform of facilitating the black marketing of tickets for the Coldplay concert at the Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, scheduled to be held from January 19 to 21, 2025.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
MAHARASHTRA: The Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) summoned BookMyShow’s CEO, Ashish Hemrajani, along with the company’s technical head, over allegations of ticket black marketing for British rock band Coldplay’s India tour, according to an official statement made on Friday.
This investigation was initiated following a complaint from an advocate who accused the platform of facilitating the illegal resale of tickets for the highly anticipated concert at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, scheduled for January 19-21, 2025.
The allegations have led the Mumbai Police to request Mr. Hemrajani and the company’s technical head to appear for questioning and record their statements. This marks a significant development in the ongoing probe.
Complaint and Allegations
Advocate Amit Vyas filed a formal complaint accusing BookMyShow of enabling the black marketing of Coldplay tickets. The original ticket price was set at Rs 2,500, but, according to the complaint, these tickets were allegedly being resold by third-party sellers and social media influencers at an exorbitant rate, reaching up to Rs 3 lakh. The advocate expressed that such practices have “deceived the public and Coldplay fans,” prompting him to seek fraud charges against the ticketing giant.
“The tickets were reportedly sold out within minutes of being made available online, which left many genuine fans disappointed… It appears that there may be a nexus engaged in the black-marketing of tickets,”
-claimed Vyas in his statement, emphasizing the frustration faced by fans who were unable to purchase tickets through legitimate means.
The EOW, which has already recorded Vyas’ statement, is now investigating the roles of various brokers allegedly involved in this illicit activity.
Opposition Demands Thorough Investigation
The case has drawn the attention of political parties, with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) expressing concerns over a potential “nexus engaged in the black-marketing” of concert tickets. In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, party spokesperson Anand Dubey called for a thorough investigation, stating,
“It appears that there may be a nexus engaged in the black-marketing of tickets, exploiting the enthusiasm of young fans who are willing to spend large amounts of their parents’ hard-earned money to attend this concert.”
He also urged Mr. Shinde to take strict action, adding,
“I believe that with your intervention, appropriate measures can be taken to prevent such incidents.”
BJP’s Stance on the Issue
A member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) echoed similar concerns, accusing the concert organizers of being involved in ticket scalping. BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam made a firm statement, saying,
“Whoever is involved in this matter should be in jail. We will not allow any black marketing in the state.”
This political pressure is intensifying the situation, as demands for accountability and transparency continue to grow.
Ticket Sale Chaos
The controversy began on September 22 when BookMyShow experienced a system crash during the sale of tickets for Coldplay’s Mumbai concert. The British rock band, which is returning to India after an eight-year hiatus, had initially planned two shows. However, due to the overwhelming demand, the band added a third show as part of their “Music of the Spheres World Tour 2025.”
Despite this addition, the demand far exceeded expectations, and many genuine fans were left without tickets, further fueling the claims of black marketing and reselling at inflated prices.
As the investigation deepens, the Mumbai Police and political figures are under mounting pressure to resolve the issue and bring justice to the disappointed fans.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Coldplay Concert
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES
