In the wake of the black ticketing scandal surrounding Coldplay's upcoming concert in India, ticketing platform BookMyShow has taken legal action by filing a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified scalpers in Mumbai. The case was lodged at Vile Parle Police Station, targeting the illegal reselling of tickets for the band’s highly anticipated concert in January 2025 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
Mumbai Police have registered the case under various sections of the Information Technology Act and the recently introduced Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act. Specifically, the case has been filed under Section 66(C) of the IT Act, along with sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the BNS Act. Authorities are currently investigating the matter to track down those involved in the unauthorized resale of concert tickets.
The FIR was filed by BookMyShow on October 2, 2024, following numerous incidents of unauthorized ticket reselling. The online ticket aggregator had initially flagged concerns about ticket scalping soon after ticket sales began on September 22. According to the company, they explicitly warned customers not to purchase tickets from third-party vendors. Despite this, they received emails from individuals attempting to secure bulk tickets, with some even admitting to taking money from others in exchange for promising tickets.
In a statement, a BookMyShow spokesperson emphasized their firm stance against black marketing and unauthorized ticket reselling. The company confirmed that they had filed an initial complaint with the Mumbai Police on September 23, well before the controversy escalated. The formal FIR, lodged on October 2, is part of their ongoing efforts to combat ticket scalping.
"In its ongoing fight against ticket scalping and black marketing of tickets for Coldplay's Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India, BookMyShow has lodged a formal FIR on October 2, 2024. This action follows our initial complaint filed proactively with the Mumbai Police on September 23, 2024, addressing these concerns much before any formal complaint was raised against us," the company’s official statement read.
BookMyShow also revealed that it has provided the authorities with details of all known resellers, including individuals and platforms like Viagogo and StubHub, as well as those operating on social media. The company is actively monitoring such unauthorized sales and is considering cancelling tickets that are being sold unethically.
"We remain vigilant in monitoring such instances of ticket reselling for this tour through black market channels and will continue to share all relevant information with the authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken. Our stance remains clear and unchanged - BookMyShow vehemently condemns and opposes ticket reselling which is deemed illegal and is punishable by law in India," the spokesperson added.
The UK-based band Coldplay is scheduled to perform three shows on January 18, 19, and 20, 2025, at DY Patil Stadium, as part of their "Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025." The tickets for these shows have been in high demand, leading to a surge in black-market sales, prompting BookMyShow’s swift legal action. As the investigation continues, fans are urged to only purchase tickets through official channels.
