Messi tour organiser files complaint against former West Bengal Minister, former top cop for ‘sabotaging’ event

The tour organiser Satadru Dutta lodged complaint at the Bidhannagar South Police Station on May 18, 2026

Published – May 19, 2026 01:38 pm IST – Kolkata

PTI

In this December 2025 picture, angry fans broke security protocols and resorted to vandalism, unable to catch a glimpse of Messi at Salt Lake Stadium.
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri

Lionel Messi tour organiser, Satadru Dutta, has lodged a police complaint against TMC leader and former West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and three others, including the State’s former top cop, alleging they were responsible for the chaos that unfolded at the Salt Lake stadium last December and that he was made a “scapegoat” out of it.

Mr. Dutta lodged the complaint at the Bidhannagar South police station on Monday (May 18, 2026) evening, in which he also named former DGP and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Kumar, the Minister’s kin and Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillor Juin Biswas and I&CA department secretary Shantanu Basu, holding them responsible for the stadium mayhem.

The event organiser, who was subsequently arrested and spent 38 days in jail, sought police intervention, alleging unlawful intrusion into restricted security zones of the field, collapse of perimeter control and disruption during the high-profile programme held at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, also known as Salt Lake stadium, on December 13, 2025.

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“My family and I were threatened with dire consequences if I opened my mouth. I had no choice but to keep mum and accept whatever punishment they had decided for me. I would never have mustered the courage to file this complaint, had there not been a change of guard in the State,” Mr. Dutta told PTI.

Mr Dutta lodged his complaint barely hours after the newly appointed sports minister of the BJP government, Nisith Pramanik, announced his decision to reopen the Messi case and order a fresh probe into the fiasco.

Lionel Messi’s ‘GOAT India Tour — Kolkata Edition’ ended in chaos and vandalism after the football superstar’s brief 20-minute appearance on the field, during which Biswas and his family were spotted, among others, in close proximity to the World Cup-winning legend, blocking spectators’ view.

Fans, frustrated by limited visibility and a shortened programme, destroyed stadium seats and stormed the pitch.

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“Our objective from the very outset has been to restore the dignity of all those who were deceived in the ‘Messi fiasco’ — specifically those who were humiliated and mistreated while attending the match. A decision has already been taken to reopen the file regarding the Messi incident; furthermore, the culprits behind this episode will be identified and brought to justice,” Pramanik told reporters.

Messi appeared for only about 20-22 minutes, significantly curtailing the event’s scheduled duration after failing to take a planned full lap of honour due to overcrowding and security concerns.

Following the chaos and intense criticism, Mr. Biswas resigned as the Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs in December 2025.

Mr. Dutta alleged Mr. Biswas sabotaged the event by misusing his ministerial powers to allow unauthorised people onto the pitch and harass Messi, causing the football star to leave the venue and disappoint thousands of fans.

“The then Hon’ble Minister of Sports, Government of West Bengal, Shri Aroop Biswas, forced me to hand over approximately 22,000 complimentary tickets (including VVIP, VIP, Regular) to him, which were subsequently sold in black at a higher rate.

“Additionally, Aroop Biswas repeatedly coerced me to create an additional 10,000 access passes, which would enable his associates to gain access to the Field of Play to be in close proximity to Lionel Messi,” Mr. Dutta stated in his complaint.

Mr. Dutta alleged that the Minister and his team violated all security protocols during the footballer’s presence on the field, despite prior deliberations and repeated cautions against this with the highest levels of the state police hierarchy.

“It further appeared that Shri Aroop Biswas physically approached and held Lionel Messi during the live operational sequence of the programme and insisted upon unscheduled photographs and interactions involving Shri Santanu Basu and other accompanying persons.

“The conduct and physical proximity created visible discomfort and serious security apprehension for Lionel Messi and his international security team,” Mr. Dutta stated in his complaint.

Referring to his social media statement in the aftermath of the event, saying ticket money would be refunded to spectators, Dutta alleged that it was not made out of his own voluntary will but was “made under circumstances of pressure, intimidation and coercion”.

“In other words, I was made a scapegoat for the wrongdoings of the aforesaid influential persons,” Dutta stated in his complaint.

Mr. Dutta said the complaint was the first step towards rectifying the “wrongs” perpetrated upon him by those who “abused power and got away with it”.

“I am planning to file two civil suits in court, of Rs 50 crores each, against the former sports minister and others. The first would be compensation for the damage caused to me and the second, a defamation suit for tarnishing my image,” Mr. Dutta said.

Published – May 19, 2026 01:38 pm IST

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