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Messi’s tour organiser sent to 14-day police custody over ‘mismanagement’ after chaos at Kolkata stadium
A North 24 Parganas district court on Sunday sent Satadru Dutta, the organiser of Lionel Messi’s “GOAT Tour” in West Bengal, to 14-day police custody
A North 24 Parganas district court on Sunday sent Satadru Dutta, the organiser of Lionel Messi’s “GOAT Tour” in West Bengal, to 14-day police custody, a day after fan outrage during the event at Salt Lake Stadium led to chaos and vandalism, even as the political slugfest over the incident continued between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Dutta was arrested on Saturday, hours after Messi kicked off his four-city tour across India in Kolkata. The Argentine World Cup-winning captain’s brief appearance at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos as angry fans resorted to vandalism over alleged mismanagement and VIPs blocking their view of the football icon.
Dutta, who was arrested for alleged mismanagement, was produced before the Bidhannagar court, and remanded in police custody for 14 days. His lawyer Dyutimoy Bhattarcharya later said that his client was innocent and that he was “being framed”.
“My client was not involved in managing the event inside the stadium. He brought Messi for an interaction with small children. He is being framed,” Bhattacharya said.
Governor CV Ananda Bose, Bidhannagar Police commissioner Mukesh Kumar, and a three-member enquiry committee constituted by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday visited the stadium separately to inspect the site of the chaos. The development comes a day after Bose alleged that he was not allowed to enter the stadium after the incident.
“I will make several recommendations, the principal among which is a judicial inquiry into this incident, arrest of all organisers and not just one, refund of the money taken from the spectators and freezing of the organiser’s bank account, “ the Governor said.
State chief secretary Manoj Pant, a member of the committee, said that the panel has been asked to submit a report in 15 days.
The police commissioner, meanwhile, said that more people will be summoned for questioning in connection with the incident. “A number of events were lined up but the organisers could not hold these because of mismanagement. We have started two cases. More people will be summoned and questioned,” Kumar said.
The political slugfest over the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium continued on Sunday, with the BJP demanding a court-monitored probe into the matter even as the TMC accused the opposition party of bringing politics into a sports event.
“Only an investigation monitored by sitting judges can bring out the truth,” said West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari during a press conference. “The police here are sunk in corruption and used for the service of the TMC government. The police have lost their credibility. They were not aware of how to manage such a big star’s event.”
TMC MP Saugata Roy, however, slammed the BJP’s demands. “The CM has appointed an enquiry committee. The committee will find out anything (responsible). So, it is not for us to comment on the matter. I condemn the BJP for bringing politics into a sports event,” Roy was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
