According to the Hindustan Times, the four employees of DNA Events (DNA), accused of cheating fans for failing to organise METALLICA's show in the city on October 28, have listed their bail plea in the Sessions Court, Gurgaon. The plea will be on the ground that it was not an orchestrated fiasco, as alleged and prima facie, there was no case of cheating as DNA has a reputation of organising international shows successfully.

According to a source, it would be argued before the Bench that the company had already paid R80 lakh as entertainment tax to the Haryana government in advance and had submitted Rs1 crore bank security, which was later frozen. Hence, there can’t be a cheating case under Sections 406 and 420, IPC, as alleged in the FIR.

The organisers will plead on the day of hearing, yet to be announced, that the entire money collected from the online sale of tickets, around Rs6 crore, was paid back to the fans and only Rs80,000 was left.

Complainant R Yadav is a resident of Gurgaon on whose statement the FIR was lodged against the organisers. Yadav had claimed that he had bought tickets worth Rs1 lakh.

“Metallica was to perform at Leisure Valley Grounds in Sector 29. It was only when security personnel found themselves unable to manage the crowd, that the band postponed its performance for the next day. But the district administration did not give the No Objection Certificate. The petition will press for the bail on such grounds,” the source added.

Rajesh Kumar, general manager of DNA Networks, was arrested along with team members Umesh Chinara, Ashok Singh and Saviou Faleiro on the charges of cheating.