The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection to former state sports minister Arup Biswas against coercive police action in connection with the chaos at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium when football legend Lionel Messi made a brief appearance on December 13.
“All the people of Kolkata felt ashamed over the fiasco. The events took place smoothly in other metro cities,” said a bench judge, Saujata Bhattacharya.
“He (Biswas) has his hand around Messi’s waist. How can he do this? Is he Messi’s childhood friend? Doesn’t that violate security?” Bench said.
Messi’s much-anticipated visit to the stadium in Bidhannagar, as part of his ‘GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Tour’, ended in chaos as most of the spectators in the 50,000-strong crowd bought tickets at prices ranging from… $4500 and $18,000 people gathered but they could barely see the Argentine football star, as dignitaries and celebrities, including Biswas, allegedly surrounded him.
The tour, which included a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, began with Messi virtually unveiling a 70-foot-tall statue of himself due to security concerns. Shortly thereafter, he left for Salt Lake City Stadium, where his fans had been waiting for him since about 4 a.m.
Satadru Dutta, the private organizer of Messi’s tour of West Bengal, was arrested within hours of the incident.
After the BJP won the Assembly elections, Dutta filed a complaint against Biswas on May 18, accusing him of sabotaging the event. Biswas, who was then the state’s sports and youth affairs minister, allegedly forcefully seized more than 22,000 free tickets, accreditation cards and proximity cards, which were later distributed for financial gain.
Bidhannagar police registered a first information report and summoned Biswas twice for questioning.
Biswas, who skipped both summons, moved the court seeking quashing of the FIR.
“The investigation will continue. The petitioner (Biswas) will cooperate with the police and will deposit his passport in the trial court,” the bench said.
The court also ordered the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances that led to the failure of the event and the alleged security lapses that occurred during the programme.
