The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting a huge search operation across Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur, and Chandigarh in relation to the illegal sale of tickets for the concerts of Coldplay and Diljit Dosanjh.
The ED is taking action after the filing of multiple FIRs in several states about the sale of fake tickets at exorbitant prices.
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The iconic British band Coldplay is set to perform on two days in Mumbai in January 2025 as part of their “Music of the Spheres World Tour”.
The Indian sensation Diljit Dosanjh is slated to hold several concerts in India after completing a tour of the US and Europe. Beginning October 26, he is going to perform in Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Pune, Kolkata, Bangalore, Indore, Chandigarh, and Guwahati.
Tickets were sold out in a jiffy
The announcement of the concerts generated huge excitement among fans and the tickets were sold out in a jiffy on the official platforms like Bookmyshow and Zomato Live. Angry and disappointed fans complained of tickets being sold on the black market at exorbitant prices. Several individuals also reported that they were cheated with fraudulent tickets.
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Bookmyshow filed an FIR against multiple suspects and alleged that they were selling counterfeit tickets and were also inflating ticket prices to take advantage of the huge demand from music enthusiasts.
Probe under PMLA
The ED has launched a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The agency conducted searches at more than 13 locations across five states and have seized incriminating material like laptops, SIM cards, and mobile phones that were used to perpetrate the scam.
“Multiple FIRs have been filed in various states across the country including an FIR filed by Bookmyshow against several suspects believed to be exploiting concertgoers. The FIR alleges that these individuals have engaged in selling counterfeit tickets and drastically inflating prices, taking advantage of the high demand for these coveted concerts,” the ED said in a statement.
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“Normally, tickets are available on platforms like Zomato, Bookmyshow, and others. However, when concert demand is very high, these tickets sell out quickly, leading people to seek alternate sources. Searches and investigation conducted by ED have revealed information regarding multiple individuals known for providing such tickets including fake tickets through social media using Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram,” continued the statement.
Uncovering financial networks
The probe agency is determined to uncover the financial networks supporting these scams and trace the proceeds of crime generated by investigating the illegal ticket sales.
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The probe has so far revealed the use of various social media platforms to carry out these scams.
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