Satadru Dutta has publicly accused former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas of sabotaging Lionel Messi's GOAT Tour event in Kolkata last year. The event at Salt Lake Stadium ended in chaos after crowd trouble forced Messi and other football stars to leave within 25 minutes. Dutta, who was later arrested and spent 38 days in custody, alleged intimidation, political interference, and blackmail. He warned of legal action and a future press conference exposing the incident.
According to Dutta, the sabotage was orchestrated to undermine the event's success. He claimed that Biswas used his influence to create disruptions, leading to the premature departure of Messi and other players. Dutta stated that he has evidence to support his allegations and will present it at a press conference soon.
The event, which was expected to draw massive crowds, turned into a fiasco when fans breached security barriers, forcing Messi to exit the stadium. Dutta, who was the organizer, faced severe criticism and was arrested on charges of negligence. However, he maintains that the chaos was deliberately engineered by political rivals.
Dutta also alleged that he was subjected to intimidation and blackmail during his time in custody. He claimed that attempts were made to force him to take the blame for the event's failure. He has now decided to speak out and seek justice through legal channels.
The allegations have sparked a political controversy in West Bengal, with opposition parties demanding a thorough investigation. The state government has yet to respond to Dutta's claims. Meanwhile, football fans in Kolkata remain disappointed over the missed opportunity to see Messi play in the city.
