MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches in Mumbai and four other cities across the country, as part of its probe into money laundering linked to the alleged illegal sale of concert tickets of the singer -Indian actor Diljeet Dosanjh and international musical group Coldplay. . The agency’s initial investigation revealed the involvement of several individuals known to sell tickets, including fake tickets on social media.

ED’s research was carried out as part of its investigation into the illegal sale of concert tickets by scammers, the financial networks supporting such activities and the search for the ultimate beneficiaries of the money generated by the crime, it said ED sources.

Besides Mumbai, the searches were carried out in Delhi, Jaipur, Chandigarh and Bengaluru. Several items were seized during the search, including mobile phones, laptops and SIM cards used for fraud. ED’s investigation was based on several cases registered by the police in several states, including an FIR by BookMyShow, an online site providing tickets for concerts and films/events, against several suspects suspected of exploiting the concert spectators. The FIR alleged that the suspects were taking advantage of the high demand for these coveted musical concerts by selling counterfeit tickets and were responsible for drastic price inflation.

Dosanjh’s ‘Dil-Luminati World Tour’ concerts will take place in October and November across India, including in Delhi on Saturday. Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ World Tour will take place at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 18, 19 and 21, 2025. “Both events have generated immense excitement, with major official ticketing partners BookMyShow and Zomato Live , to announce that tickets sold out in just a few minutes on their platforms, which ultimately led to a black market for tickets at exorbitant prices,” ED’s source said.

Following this rapid sale of tickets, there were numerous reports of individuals being duped through fraudulent ticket sales. Many fans found they were being sold fake tickets or charged exorbitant prices for legitimate tickets, ED sources said.