Mumbai Police Summon BookMyShow CEO Over Alleged Black Market Sale Of Coldplay Concert Tickets

Mumbai Police have summoned the CEO of BookMyShow, Ashish Hemrajani, and a senior team member in connection with the alleged black market sale of tickets for the upcoming Coldplay concert in Mumbai.

The Economic Offences Wing issued the summons following a complaint by advocate Amit Vyas, accusing the platform of facilitating ticket resales at inflated prices.

Photo Credit: PTI/X

Hemrajani, who leads Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited, which operates BookMyShow, along with the company's technical head, has been asked to appear before the police on Saturday.

Coldplay, returning to India for the first time in eight years, is set to perform in Mumbai on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, as part of their 'Music of the Spheres' World Tour.

Ticket sales through BookMyShow began on September 22 at 12 pm, but were plagued by technical issues, with tickets for all three shows selling out in seconds.

Prices ranged from Rs 2,500 to Rs 35,000, but reseller tickets on platforms like Viagogo have since been listed for Rs 35,000 to Rs 3 lakh or more.

BookMyShow clarified in a statement that it has no affiliation with reselling platforms like Viagogo or Gigsberg, nor with any third-party individuals selling tickets.

They warned customers against buying tickets from unauthorized sources, as these could be fake. The platform has also filed its own complaint with the police and pledged full cooperation with the investigation.

In India, bulk purchasing and reselling of tickets is illegal.