BLOT!'s Allegations Against Stephan Bodzin's Manager Resurface, Prompting Calls to Remove Him From DGTL India 2026

Stephan Bodzin's confirmed slot on the DGTL India 2026 lineup has sparked calls for his removal after allegations from a previous India visit resurfaced online this week.

At the center of the dispute is New Delhi electronic artist BLOT!, real name Gaurav Malaker. According to BLOT!, the incident took place at Spacetech Halloween 2025 on October 31, in Gurugram, where Bodzin's set ran roughly 40 minutes over its allotted time. When BLOT! asked if the sets could switch over, Bodzin's manager reportedly objected, telling him, "I'll hit you." BLOT! further alleged the manager berated him, said international headliners were entitled to play as long as they wanted, and then took another 20 minutes to pack up Bodzin's gear on stage.

The allegations first surfaced in a Reel BLOT! posted in December 2025, but resurfaced this week after entrepreneur Shuchir Soni raised the issue in an Instagram post, calling on DGTL India to drop Bodzin from its 2026 lineup. "Nineteen years building this scene, and that is what he stood there and took," Soni wrote, adding that no one had apologized in the aftermath. "Nobody said sorry. Not Bodzin. Not the manager. Not one promoter in this country."

BLOT! addressed the resurfaced discourse on his Instagram Stories, clarifying that his frustration wasn't about being excluded from DGTL's lineup. "I also want to make it clear that I'm not upset that DGTL hasn't booked me. I've played DGTL three or four times, and I was offered a headline slot last year under some very suspicious conditions; I refused," he said, framing the moment instead as an industry-wide warning. "Do not let them take advantage of a scene that you have created […] So put them in their place. Everybody needs to be professional."

DGTL India said in a statement, "We want our events to be respectful and safe environments for artists, teams and visitors. As this situation occurred outside our event, we are reviewing information before making any further comments." As of publication, Stephan Bodzin's team has not issued a public response.