The Mumbai Police’s Economic Offence Wing (EOW) has issued summons to BookMyShow’s parent company, Big Tree Entertainment, along with its CEO and technical head. The summons come in response to allegations of unethical ticket sales practices for the highly anticipated Coldplay concert in India.
The summons, issued on Friday, September 27, require the individuals to appear before the investigating officer on Saturday, September 28, to record their statements. This action follows a complaint filed by advocate Amit Vyas, Founder Partner of Vertices Partners, with the EOW.
Vyas alleges that BookMyShow employed unfair tactics during the official ticket sale on September 22, which prevented genuine fans from securing tickets. He claims the platform manipulated access by logging out legitimate users or blocking them entirely, creating a space for ticket bots and black market operators to dominate the sales. This, according to Vyas, led to the rapid sell-out of tickets, which subsequently reappeared on third-party resale sites like Viagogo at exorbitant prices.
Vyas intends to file an FIR under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including charges related to organized crime, cheating, criminal conspiracy, and criminal breach of trust. He also plans to file a public interest litigation (PIL) with the Bombay High Court, aiming to establish regulatory guidelines for major events to prevent future instances of such alleged fraudulent activities.
In response to these allegations, BookMyShow has filed a police complaint concerning the alleged sale of fake tickets for the concert on certain platforms. The company has also issued a press release stating that they are not associated with any ticket selling or reselling platforms like Viagogo and Gigsberg or with individuals involved in reselling tickets for Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India.
Coldplay’s return to India after an eight-year absence is a significant event. The concert is scheduled to take place at DY Pati Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025. The Mumbai Police’s investigation will shed light on the alleged practices surrounding the ticket sales and determine if any wrongdoing occurred.
