Coldplay tickets row: Mumbai Police summons CEO of BookMyShow parent company over black-marketing charge

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Police on Friday summoned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the parent company and technical head of the ticket booking platform BookMyShow in case of alleged black-marketing of tickets for the upcoming Coldplay concert in Mumbai.
Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has summoned CEO Ashish Hemrajani of Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited and technical head to appear before the investigating officer on Saturday and record their statements, news agency ANI reported.
The summons came on the complaint of advocate Amit Vyas about the alleged black marketing of the Coldplay concert tickets.
The sale of tickets through BookMyShow started at 12 pm on September 22, but within seconds, it was marred by technical glitches, and all tickets for two shows were sold out.
Later, Coldplay added a third show to the Mumbai leg on January 21 citing "phenomenal demand" which was also sold out within minutes.
Earlier, BookMyShow, the authorised ticketing partner for Coldplay's upcoming concerts in Mumbai, had also filed a police complaint regarding the alleged sale of counterfeit tickets on various platforms. The company had stated that it was not affiliated with any ticket reselling websites such as Viagogo and Gigsberg, or individuals engaged in reselling tickets for Coldplay's 'Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025' in India.
In a statement, BookMyShow strongly condemned the practice of scalping, which involves purchasing large quantities of tickets with the intention of reselling them at inflated prices. The company stressed that this practice is illegal in India and punishable by law. "We have filed a complaint with the police authorities and will provide complete support to them in the investigation," the statement read.
BookMyShow also cautioned fans against falling victim to these fraudulent schemes, warning that tickets purchased from unauthorized sources may turn out to be fake and pose a risk to consumers. The company urged fans to exercise caution and only purchase tickets through official channels to ensure the authenticity of their tickets.
Coldplay, the renowned British rock band, is set to return to India after an eight-year hiatus, with concerts scheduled for January 18, 19, and 21 in Mumbai.