The chief operating officer of Big Tree Entertainment, the parent company of BookMyShow, Anil Makhija, appeared before the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Monday regarding a petition alleging irregularities in the sale of tickets for British band Coldplay’s upcoming India tour.
The Coldplay concert, set for January 2025 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, has sparked controversy and legal troubles for BookMyShow. Allegations of ticket scalping and unfair practices in ticket selling have led the EOW to summon the company’s top executives, including COO Anil Makhija.
The summons were previously issued to BookMyShow’s CEO Ashish Hemrajani, Director Shamita Ghosh, and COO Anil Makhija, requesting their presence on September 28. However, the executives did not attend the hearing, prompting the EOW to reschedule their appearance for September 30.
The complaints against BookMyShow were filed by advocate Amit Vyas, who accused the company of enabling ticket scalping for the Coldplay concert. According to Vyas, as the official ticketing partner, BookMyShow allowed tickets to be sold at prices far above the face value, facilitating fraudulent practices.
When ticket sales for the Coldplay concert opened on September 22, 13 million users attempted to purchase tickets online. The original price started at ₹2,500, but many fans reported that third-party vendors and influencers resold them for as much as ₹3 lakh.
Amit Vyas further alleged that BookMyShow blocked legitimate buyers to allow bots and black-market sellers to dominate the sales. BookMyShow issued an official statement denying any involvement in ticket manipulation. A spokesperson said, “With 13 million (1.3 crore) fans eager to get tickets and logged in, emotions ran high on September 22nd on BookMyShow for Coldplay’s tour in India. We worked hard to ensure every fan had a fair chance to secure tickets, capping it at four per user across all shows.”
The legal proceedings are still ongoing, and no final verdict has been reached. The outcome of the EOW investigation could not only affect the Coldplay concert and BookMyShow’s future but may also set new standards for ticketing regulations in India.
Key Highlights:
- Coldplay Ticket Scam: BookMyShow COO Anil Makhija appeared before Mumbai Police over alleged ticket sale irregularities for Coldplay’s 2025 India tour.
- Scalping Allegations: BookMyShow was accused of allowing tickets to be resold for up to ₹3 lakh, far above the original price.
- High Demand Issues: On September 22, 13 million users tried to buy tickets, with complaints of bots and resellers dominating sales.
- BookMyShow’s Response: The company denied involvement in ticket manipulation, claiming fair measures were in place. Legal proceedings continue.