Former West Bengal sports minister Arup Biswas on Tuesday appeared before police for questioning in a case related to irregularities at a Lionel Messi event at Salt Lake Stadium in December, officials said.
Biswas, a TMC leader who joined the rebel camp, appeared before investigators at Bidhannagar South police station, they added.
“His statement has been recorded and the information provided by him is being examined along with other evidence collected in the case,” a police officer said.
The Calcutta High Court granted Biswas interim protection from arrest till August 17.
The Supreme Court also ordered the police to submit a status report on the investigation on July 10.
Shattadru Dutta, the main organizer of Messi’s India tour, had filed a police complaint on May 17, accusing Biswas of cheating, criminal intimidation and extortion. On this basis, a case was registered with the police.
He claimed that nearly 22,000 tickets for the event were sold on the black market, and claimed that Biswas used his position as Sports Minister to exert undue influence during the programme.
The event held at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13, 2025 turned into chaos after a large number of people entered the venue without legal access.
Many spectators who bought expensive tickets complained that they could not see Messi properly or enjoy the program due to overcrowding and poor management.
Messi left the ground amid the uproar, after which sections of angry spectators vandalized parts of the stadium.
This controversy sparked a political storm at the time, after which Dutta was arrested. After being released on bail, he blamed Biswas for the collapse of the event and the losses he suffered.
Messi’s management team also expressed concerns about the arrangements and security lapses during the event.
