A special investigating team (SIT) probing the chaotic Lionel Messi event at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium made a startling discovery during a raid at the chief organiser's residence. The raid, conducted at the three-storey Rishra home of arrested organiser Satadru Dutta, revealed extravagant amenities including a swimming pool on one level and a soccer ground on the terrace, alongside an expansive office space.
Luxury Home Raid Widens Investigation Scope
The raid, which officers described as a "procedural search," was carried out early on Saturday by a Bidhannagar Police detective department team. After visiting the Rishra police station, five officers entered the house where only a domestic help was present. The team questioned the caretaker and thoroughly checked every room. While documents and agreement papers were examined, nothing was seized during this visit.
This inspection has significantly widened the investigation angle. Initially focused on crowd-control failures during the December event, the probe now extends to suspected large-scale financial impropriety estimated to be around Rs 100 crore. Satadru Dutta was arrested on December 13, within hours of the mayhem at the stadium, held responsible for what police termed "serious lapses in planning and execution."
Alleged Financial Irregularities Uncovered
The SIT's expanded probe is now examining deep financial discrepancies linked to the high-profile event. Officers revealed that an inquiry indicates the involvement of office-bearers of the organising body and its associate organisers in illegal financial transactions, primarily centred around Messi-related activities.
One major red flag involves the exclusive photo opportunities with the football legend. Police stated that Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh were charged for every photo taken with Messi, but no official payment records exist for these transactions. Investigators believe the fees were likely collected in cash and are now being treated as unaccounted-for money.
Opacity in Ticketing and Revenue
The investigation has also uncovered serious issues with ticket sales for the event held at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan, which has a capacity of 66,000 seats. Police officials disclosed that records for nearly 50% of ticket sales were not maintained at all.
While the organising body claimed only half the total tickets were sold and the rest were distributed for free, law enforcement finds this explanation implausible. Officers argue that such a practice would have led to a substantial financial loss, a scenario they find unlikely for a commercial sporting event of this magnitude. "Opacity seems to have been deliberate in the ticketing process," remarked one officer involved in the probe.
The discovery of Dutta's lavish personal amenities, juxtaposed with the financial chaos surrounding the event, has added a new dimension to the investigation. The SIT continues to piece together the financial trail of one of Kolkata's most controversial sporting events in recent memory.
