In a significant crackdown on illegal ticket sales, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched coordinated raids on October 25, 2024, across five major Indian cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Bangalore. This operation is part of an ongoing investigation into unauthorized ticket sales for the highly anticipated concerts of British rock band Coldplay and Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh‘s ‘Dil-Luminati‘ tour. The raids resulted in the seizure of numerous electronic devices, including mobile phones, laptops, and SIM cards, which were allegedly used to facilitate these fraudulent activities.
The excitement surrounding the Coldplay concert, one of the band’s few performances in India, has led to a surge in demand for tickets, making them scarce. Similarly, tickets for Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Dil-Luminati’ tour have sold out rapidly, prompting fans to seek tickets through unofficial channels.
The ED’s operations aim to uncover the extent of these unauthorized sales and dismantle the networks exploiting concertgoers.The official ED Twitter account announced: “ED, New Delhi has conducted search operations on 25/10/2024 in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bangalore in relation to the illegal sale of tickets for Coldplay and Diljit Dosanjh’s Dilluminati concerts. During the search operations, several incriminating materials such as mobile phones, laptops, SIM cards etc. used in the scam were recovered and seized.”
This crackdown follows recent developments in the legal arena. The Delhi High Court had issued a notice to the Central Government regarding unethical ticket resales for both Coldplay and Diljit Dosanjh’s concerts. The court is responded to a plea advocating for a regulatory framework governing concert ticket sales through authorized platforms. The plea underscored the need to combat unauthorized resellers who exploit high demand by inflating prices significantly.
The High Court had directed relevant authorities to respond within four weeks and has scheduled a follow-up hearing for February 18, 2025. The ED’s investigations revealed that many individuals involved in ticket fraud utilized social media platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram to sell counterfeit tickets.
Coldplay is set to perform in Mumbai as part of their ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour’ on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, at D.Y. Patil Stadium. The initial two shows sold out almost instantly due to overwhelming demand, leading the band to announce a third date on January 21. This announcement was made via their official social media, stating, “Due to phenomenal demand, a third Mumbai date has been added.”
Meanwhile, Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Dil-Luminati’ tour is set to kick off on October 26 and 27 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. Ahead of the concerts, Diljit visited Gurdwara Bangla Sahib on the night of October 25, where he was seen bowing and seeking blessings. Accompanied by his team, he touched the steps of the Gurdwara and received the holy kada prasad before leaving quietly. Dressed in a black denim jacket and a red turban, Diljit shared his excitement for the upcoming shows on Instagram, expressing joy upon landing in India. After Delhi, the tour will continue to various cities, including Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Pune, Kolkata, Bangalore, Indore, Chandigarh, and Guwahati.