In a significant legal development, Amit Vyas, the Founder Partner of Vertices Partners, has filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai, alleging a large-scale ticketing scam involving BookMyShow and Live Nation Entertainment. The controversy surrounds the sale of tickets for the upcoming Coldplay concert scheduled for January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
The formal criminal complaint accuses both entities of engaging in unethical practices that prevented genuine fans from securing tickets during the official sale which commenced on September 22 at 12 PM. It is claimed that these platforms employed tactics such as logging legitimate users out and blocking their access, thereby allowing ticket bots and black-market operators to dominate the ticketing process.
As a result of these maneuvers, tickets were allegedly sold out within moments on BookMyShow, only to reappear shortly after on third-party resale platforms like Viagogo. The tickets on these sites were listed at prices 30 to 50 times higher than the original, causing a public uproar and suspicion of collusion between the ticketing company and resellers.
Vyas’s complaint highlights the potential orchestration of the scam by senior officials at BookMyShow and Live Nation, accusing them of using bots and manipulating digital queues to unfairly disadvantage genuine concertgoers. The alleged malpractices have led to widespread frustration among Coldplay fans across India and have sparked a debate on the need for stricter regulatory oversight in the entertainment ticketing industry.
The lawyer is pushing for the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for organized crime, cheating, criminal conspiracy, and criminal breach of trust.
In addition to pursuing criminal charges, Vyas plans to file a public interest litigation (PIL) petition before the Bombay High Court. The aim of the PIL is to establish stringent regulatory guidelines for major events to prevent similar fraudulent activities in the future, ensuring fair access to entertainment and safeguarding consumer interests.
