3 weeks ago
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Lionel Messi circuit organiser, Satadru Dutta, has lodged a constabulary ailment against TMC person and erstwhile West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and 3 others, including the State's erstwhile apical cop, alleging they were responsible for the chaos that unfolded astatine the Salt Lake stadium past December and that helium was made a "scapegoat" retired of it.
Mr. Dutta lodged the ailment astatine the Bidhannagar South constabulary presumption connected Monday (May 18, 2026) evening, successful which helium besides named erstwhile DGP and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Kumar, the Minister's kin and Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillor Juin Biswas and I&CA section caput Shantanu Basu, holding them liable for the stadium mayhem.
The lawsuit organiser, who was subsequently arrested and spent 38 days successful jail, sought constabulary intervention, alleging unlawful intrusion into restricted information zones of the field, illness of perimeter power and disruption during the high-profile programme held astatine the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, besides known arsenic Salt Lake stadium, connected December 13, 2025.
"My household and I were threatened with dire consequences if I opened my mouth. I had nary prime but to support mum and judge immoderate punishment they had decided for me. I would ne'er person mustered the courageousness to record this complaint, had determination not been a alteration of defender successful the State," Mr. Dutta told PTI.
Mr Dutta lodged his ailment hardly hours aft the recently appointed sports curate of the BJP government, Nisith Pramanik, announced his determination to reopen the Messi lawsuit and bid a caller probe into the fiasco.
Lionel Messi's 'GOAT India Tour — Kolkata Edition' ended successful chaos and vandalism aft the shot superstar's little 20-minute quality connected the field, during which Biswas and his household were spotted, among others, successful adjacent proximity to the World Cup-winning legend, blocking spectators' view.
Fans, frustrated by constricted visibility and a shortened programme, destroyed stadium seats and stormed the pitch.
"Our nonsubjective from the precise outset has been to reconstruct the dignity of each those who were deceived successful the 'Messi fiasco' -- specifically those who were humiliated and mistreated portion attending the match. A determination has already been taken to reopen the record regarding the Messi incident; furthermore, the culprits down this occurrence volition beryllium identified and brought to justice," Pramanik told reporters.
Messi appeared for lone astir 20-22 minutes, importantly curtailing the event's scheduled duration aft failing to instrumentality a planned afloat thigh of honour owed to overcrowding and information concerns.
Following the chaos and aggravated criticism, Mr. Biswas resigned arsenic the Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs successful December 2025.
Mr. Dutta alleged Mr. Biswas sabotaged the lawsuit by misusing his ministerial powers to let unauthorised radical onto the transportation and harass Messi, causing the shot prima to permission the venue and disappoint thousands of fans.
"The past Hon'ble Minister of Sports, Government of West Bengal, Shri Aroop Biswas, forced maine to manus implicit astir 22,000 complimentary tickets (including VVIP, VIP, Regular) to him, which were subsequently sold successful achromatic astatine a higher rate.
"Additionally, Aroop Biswas repeatedly coerced maine to make an further 10,000 entree passes, which would alteration his associates to summation entree to the Field of Play to beryllium successful adjacent proximity to Lionel Messi," Mr. Dutta stated successful his complaint.
Mr. Dutta alleged that the Minister and his squad violated each information protocols during the footballer's beingness connected the field, contempt anterior deliberations and repeated cautions against this with the highest levels of the authorities constabulary hierarchy.
"It further appeared that Shri Aroop Biswas physically approached and held Lionel Messi during the unrecorded operational series of the programme and insisted upon unscheduled photographs and interactions involving Shri Santanu Basu and different accompanying persons.
"The behaviour and carnal proximity created disposable discomfort and superior information apprehension for Lionel Messi and his planetary information team," Mr. Dutta stated successful his complaint.
Referring to his societal media connection successful the aftermath of the event, saying summons wealth would beryllium refunded to spectators, Dutta alleged that it was not made retired of his ain voluntary volition but was "made nether circumstances of pressure, intimidation and coercion".
"In different words, I was made a scapegoat for the wrongdoings of the aforesaid influential persons," Dutta stated successful his complaint.
Mr. Dutta said the ailment was the archetypal measurement towards rectifying the "wrongs" perpetrated upon him by those who "abused powerfulness and got distant with it".
"I americium readying to record 2 civilian suits successful court, of Rs 50 crores each, against the erstwhile sports curate and others. The archetypal would beryllium compensation for the harm caused to maine and the second, a defamation suit for tarnishing my image," Mr. Dutta said.
