Coldplay Concert Ticket Row: Shiv Sena (UBT) Calls For Probe Over Black Marketing Allegations

Shiv Sena (UBT faction) spokesperson Anand Dubey has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, asking for a probe into the allegations of black marketing of tickets for shows of British rock band Coldplay.

In his letter, Dubey said, "The tickets were reportedly sold out within minutes of being made available online, which left many genuine fans, particularly the youth, disappointed. This situation was further exacerbated when it was discovered that tickets are still available through unofficial channels at exorbitant prices despite BookMyShow officially declaring that the show is sold out,"

"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. This not only violates the principles of fairness but may also involve illegal activities such as money laundering, cheating, and fraud," he added.

CEO and co-founder of BookMyShow, Ashish Hemrajani and the company's technical head have been summoned by Mumbai Police in connection with the allegations of black marketing of tickets for shows of British rock band Coldplay.

On the other hand, Coldplay is scheduled to perform at Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium in January 2025. However, controversy has arisen over the alleged black marketing of tickets for the event.

An advocate named Amit Vyas filed a complaint accusing BookMyShow of enabling ticket scalping for Coldplay's concert. He claims that tickets originally priced at Rs 2,500 are being resold by third parties and influencers for up to Rs 3 lakh.

Vyas has urged that fraud charges be filed against the company.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has launched an investigation based on Mr Vyas' complaint. They have already recorded his statement and identified several brokers allegedly involved in this ticket resale. Hemrajani and the technical head are expected to provide their statements soon.

When ticket sales for Coldplay's Mumbai concert began on September 22, BookMyShow experienced a system crash due to high demand. This incident occurred as Coldplay announced their return to India after eight years as part of their "Music of the Spheres World Tour 2025." To accommodate demand, an additional show was added to their Mumbai schedule.

The ongoing investigation into these allegations highlights concerns about ticket availability and pricing practices for major events. As authorities continue their probe, fans await further developments regarding access to this highly anticipated concert.