Mumbai Police summoned the CEO and a senior executive of BookMyShow on Friday as part of an investigation into the alleged black market ticket sales for the upcoming Coldplay concert in the city.
Ashish Hemrajani, CEO of Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited, which operates BookMyShow, and the company's technical head are required to appear before the Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police on Saturday.
This action follows a complaint by advocate Amit Vyas, who alleged that tickets for the British rock band's concert were being sold on the black market. Coldplay is set to perform in Mumbai on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, marking their first concert in India in eight years. Ticket sales began on September 22 at noon but were quickly marred by technical issues, leading to all tickets being sold out within moments.
While original ticket prices ranged from ₹2,500 to ₹35,000, resale prices soared to between ₹35,000 and ₹3 lakh or more on platforms like Viagogo.
In response to the controversy, BookMyShow clarified that it is not affiliated with any ticket resale platforms, including Viagogo and Gigsberg, and cautioned the public against falling victim to scams. The company emphasized that purchasing tickets from unauthorized sources poses a risk of fraud.
Under Indian law, bulk buying and reselling of tickets is prohibited, and BookMyShow stated that it has lodged a complaint with the police and is committed to fully cooperating with the investigation.