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The highly anticipated Coldplay concert scheduled for January 2025 in Navi Mumbai has sparked controversy, with a Mumbai lawyer, Amit Vyas, filing a police complaint alleging ticket scalping and fraudulent practices by BookMyShow and Live Nation Entertainment. Vyas, who failed to secure a ticket despite numerous attempts, found that many of his friends encountered similar difficulties, leading him to suspect foul play. He claims that BookMyShow and Live Nation colluded to create an artificial queue, logging out genuine fans and allowing bots to purchase tickets in bulk, which were then resold on platforms like Viagogo at exorbitant prices. The complaint also alleges that BookMyShow deliberately logged out users at the start of the ticket sales, allowing time for scalpers to secure tickets before genuine fans had a chance.
BookMyShow has denied any involvement in the alleged scalping operation, stating that they have no association with platforms like Viagogo or Gigsberg. They claim to have implemented a queueing system to manage the overwhelming demand and addressed suspicious traffic promptly. The company maintains that they have filed a complaint with the police authorities and will cooperate with the investigation. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police has issued summons to the CEO and technical head of BookMyShow's parent company, Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited, for questioning. The police probe will focus on whether bots were used to purchase tickets and if there is any evidence of deliberate manipulation of the ticketing process.
Legal experts have weighed in on the legality of ticket reselling at inflated prices, with some arguing that reselling is permissible in India, but only if the seller is transparent about their identity and the source of the tickets. Others have pointed to the Prevention of Black Marketing Act, 1980, which prohibits profiting from the high demand of events like concerts, suggesting that reselling at significantly higher prices could be deemed illegal. The police investigation is ongoing, and the outcome will have significant implications for the future of concert ticketing in India. It remains to be seen whether the police will find sufficient evidence to prove the allegations of collusion and fraud, and what measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.