Lionel Messi’s appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata descended into chaos as fans could not get a glimpse of their favourite superstar.
Satadru Dutta, the organiser of Lionel Messi’s ‘GOAT India Tour 2025’ was denied bail on Sunday by the Bidhannagar court in Kolkata a day after the star footballer’s planned appearance at the
Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos. Dutta was also sent to 14-day police custody in the court.
Fans turned violent in Kolkata on the opening day of Messi’s India tour as they could not catch a glimpse of their favourite football star.
Disgruntled fans alleged that Messi was surrounded by politicians and VIPs all the time and thus the crowd could not even see the Argentine.
Messi event chaos: Dutta denied bail
Dutta was arrested at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport while he was travelling as part of the GOAT India Tour. Alongside Messi, his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul are also on the India tour.
While the other members went to Hyderabad, the next destination of the tour, Dutta was not allowed to leave the city and thus detained by the police.
Police have registered two suo motu cases against Dutta and unknown persons regarding the chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
As per an Indian Express report, the two cases have been registered under Sections 192 (provocation with the intent to cause a riot), 324/4 (5) (mischief), 326 (5) (mischief by injury, inundation, fire, or explosive substance), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty), 121 (1) (voluntarily causing hurt/minor injury to a public servant performing their duty), 121 (2) (grievous hurt), 45/46 (abetment of a thing) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 9 (penalty for subversive acts) of the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act, and Section 3 (mischief causing damage to public property) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee constituted a high-level inquiry committee to probe the incident.
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