Coldplay Mumbai concert: BookMyShow’s purchased 120,000 tickets, confirms COO Anil Makhija amid fraud allegations

BookMyShow had purchased 120,000 tickets from the Coldplay to resell the same for the band’s January concert in India, revealed the ticketing platform’s Chief Operating Officer Anil Makhija, as per reports. The statement was made during his recent seven-hour-long interrogation, said a senior officer from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

Coldplay. Photo courtesy: www.instagram.com/coldplay
Coldplay. Photo courtesy: www.instagram.com/coldplay

A police officer informed that Makhija has been asked to appear again on Thursday, October 3, for further questioning along with necessary documents and data related to the ongoing investigation.

The agency is probing the allegations of fraud and selling the tickets for the highly-anticipated event on black market. The officer further said that these tickets were listed on the BookMyShow app for prices ranging from INR 2,500 (USD 29) to INR 35,000 (USD 417).

ALSO READ: “It’s almost impossible…”: Coldplay announces retirement amid ticket resale controversy in India

However, prospective buyers alleged that when they tried to purchase them from the app, they were automatically redirected to third-party websites such as Viagogo, where the same tickets were being sold at whopping prices.

The EOW had summoned BookMyShow’s CEO Ashish Hemrajani twice in connection with the case. On September 30, Makhija appeared before the agency for questioning. The investigation aims to uncover further details regarding the ticket hoarding and unauthorised sales as alleged by the complainant and scores of fans.

Additionally, there is a possibility that individuals who purchased tickets for the concert may be included as witnesses in the case to help clarify the situation and provide evidence regarding the ticket purchasing process.

(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)