Investigation Launched into Messi India Tour Fiasco
Less than 24 hours after receiving a complaint, the Bidhannagar Police have initiated a probe into allegations made by Satadru Dutta, the organiser of the Messi India tour, against former sports minister Aroop Biswas, former Director General Rajeev Kumar, New Alipore councillor Juin Biswas, and IAS officer Santanu Basu. Dutta accused them of sabotaging the event held at the Salt Lake Stadium in December 2025.
Manish Joshi, Deputy Commissioner (Detective Department) of Bidhannagar City Police, stated: "We have started an investigation. An FIR will be registered and specific sections will be invoked based on the findings of the preliminary enquiry."
Allegations of Misuse of Power
In his complaint, Dutta alleged that Biswas misused his powers and influence to facilitate the entry of unauthorised individuals onto the pitch, resulting in harassment of football star Lionel Messi. According to Dutta, this forced Messi to leave the venue prematurely, leaving thousands of spectators disappointed.
A senior Bidhannagar City Police officer said investigators are rechecking CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses to verify the allegations.
Details of the Incident
Speaking to the Times of India on Tuesday, Dutta expressed hope for a thorough and impartial investigation into the fiasco, which he claimed was caused by intrusion and trespassing. He stated that the chaos led to Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo De Paul leaving the event in a huff nearly 50 minutes before their scheduled departure.
Dutta explained that only 100 people were initially scheduled to be on the ground, including then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, actor Shah Rukh Khan, former cricketer Sourav Ganguly, players and officials of Mohun Bagan and Diamond Harbour FC, flag-bearers, and around 40 to 50 children. "Aroop Biswas was not even a part of the show floor. I had handed out 393 access cards, including those for performers and vendors. But that day, there were around 250 unauthorised people on the ground who had gained entry through cards issued by Biswas. Biswas forced me to part with 30-40 access cards. But many more people entered the ground," Dutta alleged.
He further claimed that he was forced to hand over 22,000 tickets to Biswas, which were later sold through an outlet in Bijoygarh. The organiser squarely blamed Biswas, his family members, and associates for sabotaging the event.
Security Lapses Alleged
Dutta also blamed Rajeev Kumar and other senior officers, including then Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar, for allegedly mishandling security arrangements and ignoring his repeated concerns.
