Coldplay India Tour: BookMyShow Lodges FIR Over Inflated Ticket Prices

As Coldplay fans excitedly look forward to the band's highly awaited “Music of the Spheres World Tour 2025” in India, a concerning problem has emerged: black marketing and resale of concert tickets at inflated prices. In reaction to this unlawful activity, BookMyShow, the official ticketing partner for the concert, has lodged an FIR (First Information Report) against unidentified individuals for ticket scalping.

The complainant shared contact numbers for 27 individuals, details of three Instagram account holders, and Viagogo.com, claiming their involvement in ticket black marketing. The police are currently verifying the information provided by BookMyShow.

Tickets for Coldplay's concert, set for January 18, 19, and 21 next year at D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, were reportedly sold at inflated prices through various websites and social media platforms. BookMyShow mentioned they are considering the potential cancellation of tickets being sold unethically.

Last week, the city's Economic Offence Wing (EOW) initiated a preliminary inquiry into the complaint against BookMyShow and Live Nation filed by advocate Amit Vyas. He alleged that the two logged out genuine fans from the portal and used bots to create an artificial digital queue, thus facilitating the black marketing of tickets. The EOW recorded the statement of Anil Makhija, COO of Big Tree Entertainment, the parent company of BookMyShow, and discovered that the ticketing platform had purchased 1.2 lakh tickets from Coldplay for resale at the concert. A BookMyShow spokesperson confirmed the filing of a formal FIR after their initial written complaint on September 23.

Following BookMyShow’s complaint, the Mumbai Police filed a case under the Indian Penal Code sections related to fraud and identity theft. Specifically, the individuals involved were charged under sections 318 (4) for fraud, 319 (2) for impersonation, and Section 66C of the Information Technology Act, which addresses identity theft. This legal action highlights the seriousness of the issue, which has upset many fans who have been unable to obtain tickets at official prices.

Despite the debate surrounding ticketing, Coldplay’s Mumbai performances will proceed as planned. BookMyShow has affirmed that any speculation indicating otherwise is “factually inaccurate.” The concert will occur at DY Patil Stadium on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, as part of Coldplay’s continuing global tour.