Local Deputy Commissioner Shekar Tekkannanavar told ANI news agency: "A member among the event organisers came to meet me to seek permission for the streetside performance at Church Street.
Sahil Kaling, a 22-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru, took a video of Sheeran performing and said he was "a bit disappointed when police stopped him".
Ed Sheeran says he didn't give Band Aid 40 permission to use his vocals.
He said: "We decided to take a walk on Church Street and just before entering (Mahatma Gandhi) MG Road metro station we saw him get out of a car.
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