Lionel Messi’s tour organiser, Satadru Dutta, has filed a police complaint against TMC leader and former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas, along with three others, including former DGP and TMC MP Rajeev Kumar, alleging they were responsible for the chaos at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium during the Messi event last December. He claimed he was unfairly made a “scapegoat” for the incident.

The complaint, filed at Bidhannagar South police station, also names Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillor Juin Biswas and I&CA secretary Shantanu Basu. Dutta, who was arrested after the incident and spent 38 days in jail, alleged security lapses, unauthorized access to restricted areas, and disruption of the event at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on December 13, 2025.

He further alleged that he and his family were threatened into silence and that he was pressured into accepting responsibility. Dutta said he would not have filed the complaint without the change in government. His complaint came shortly after newly appointed sports minister Nisith Pramanik announced a fresh probe into the “Messi fiasco.”

The event, part of the “GOAT India Tour – Kolkata Edition,” descended into chaos after Messi’s brief appearance of around 20 minutes, with overcrowding and security issues forcing an early end to planned activities. Fans reportedly damaged stadium property after being disappointed with restricted visibility and the shortened program.

Dutta alleged that Aroop Biswas misused his authority by interfering in ticket distribution, forcing him to hand over thousands of complimentary passes that were allegedly resold, and demanding additional access passes for associates to enter restricted zones near Messi. He also claimed that protocol violations and unauthorized close contact with Messi created security concerns for the footballer and his team, leading to an uncomfortable situation during the event.

Dutta further stated that his earlier public assurance about ticket refunds was made under pressure and coercion, not voluntarily, and that he was wrongly blamed for the incident caused by influential individuals. He added that he plans to file civil suits worth ₹50 crore each against the former minister and others—one for damages and another for defamation.