Event Organiser Satadru Dutta Files Police Complaint Against Former TMC Minister Arup Biswas and Others Over Chaotic Messi Kolkata Event

In a significant development that has reopened the wounds of last year’s high-profile football fiasco, Satadru Dutta, the chief organiser of Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T. India Tour event in Kolkata, has approached the Bidhanagar police with a formal complaint. He has accused former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Sports Minister Arup Biswas and senior officials, including the then Director General of Police, of political interference, protocol violations, and orchestrating a one-sided probe that led to his arrest and reputational damage.

The complaint comes months after Dutta was granted bail and follows the change in West Bengal’s political landscape, with the BJP assuming power in the state. Dutta, who claims he was made a “scapegoat” for administrative and security lapses beyond his control, has also announced plans to file a ₹100 crore defamation and damages suit against Biswas and others involved.

The Fateful Event: December 13, 2025

The much-anticipated appearance by Argentine football legend Lionel Messi at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan) as part of his India tour turned into a nightmare for fans and organisers alike. Thousands of excited supporters, many of whom had paid premium ticket prices, were left furious after Messi’s interaction was cut short to around 20 minutes. Crowds surged onto the pitch, throwing bottles, chairs, and other objects in protest. The chaos forced enhanced security measures and a hasty exit for the superstar and his entourage.

Dutta maintains that the event was planned with strict Z-plus security protocols in coordination with central and state agencies. However, last-minute pressures allegedly led to unauthorised access passes being demanded, overcrowding the ground with VIPs, politicians, and their associates. This, he says, disrupted the show flow, compromised Messi’s safety and experience, and contributed to the fans’ disappointment.

“Messi was unhappy with what was happening,” Dutta later claimed, adding that the football icon himself felt the intrusion of unlisted individuals affected the event’s smoothness. Hours after the event, Kolkata Police arrested Dutta at the airport as he was seeing off Messi’s chartered flight. He was denied bail initially and spent over a month in custody. Authorities blamed him for poor crowd management, ticketing issues, and overall mismanagement. Then Sports Minister Arup Biswas and the state administration faced criticism from the opposition BJP, but the probe appeared heavily focused on the organiser.

Dutta has alleged that Biswas was not part of the official show flow and exerted undue pressure for additional access. “He was not part of the show flow. I have the documents and emails shared with the police,” Dutta stated in recent interviews. He further accused the previous government of a biased investigation that ignored security and administrative failures. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had publicly apologised to Messi on social media and ordered an inquiry, but Dutta says the process failed to address the root causes.

Fresh Complaint After Political Change

With the BJP now in power following the recent assembly elections, Dutta says he feels confident in seeking justice. In his latest statements, he expressed faith in the new administration’s ability to ensure an impartial probe. “You put me in jail for 38 days, now it’s my turn,” he remarked, signalling his resolve to fight the case vigorously, potentially up to the Supreme Court.

The organiser, who has promoted several major sports events in the past, claims the episode severely impacted his business, family, and reputation. He has vowed to hold accountable those who “intruded onto the ground” and disrupted operations, describing many of them as close associates of the former minister.

Senior police officials have confirmed receiving Dutta’s complaint and said a preliminary inquiry is underway. The development has once again put the spotlight on the TMC’s handling of the event and raised questions about accountability in high-profile public spectacles.