Dutta submitted his complaint at the Bidhannagar South police station on Monday evening, naming former DGP and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Kumar, the minister’s relative and Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillor Juin Biswas, and I&CA department secretary Shantanu Basu as responsible for the turmoil at the stadium.
The event organiser, who was later arrested and spent 38 days in custody, is seeking police action for alleged unlawful entry into restricted security zones, failure of perimeter control, and disruptions during the high-profile event at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, commonly known as Salt Lake stadium, on December 13, 2025.
“My family and I were threatened with severe repercussions if I spoke out. I had no option but to stay silent and accept the punishment they had imposed on me. I would not have found the courage to file this complaint if there hadn’t been a shift in state governance,” Dutta told PTI.
Dutta filed his complaint just hours after the newly appointed sports minister of the BJP government, Nisith Pramanik, announced plans to reopen the Messi case and initiate a fresh investigation into the incident.
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Lionel Messi’s ‘GOAT India Tour — Kolkata Edition’ ended in turmoil and vandalism following the superstar’s brief 20-minute appearance on the field, during which Biswas and his family were seen blocking spectators’ views, among others, in close proximity to the World Cup champion.
Frustrated fans, facing limited visibility and a shortened event, damaged stadium seats and rushed onto the pitch.
“From the very beginning, our aim has been to restore dignity to those who were misled during the ‘Messi fiasco’—specifically those who were treated poorly while attending the match. We’ve decided to reopen the file regarding the Messi incident; the individuals responsible will be identified and held accountable,” Pramanik said to reporters.
Messi’s participation lasted around 20-22 minutes, significantly cutting the scheduled event time as he couldn’t complete a planned lap of honour due to crowding and security issues.
In the aftermath of the chaos and widespread criticism, Biswas resigned from his position as Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs in December 2025.
Dutta accused Biswas of sabotaging the event by abusing his ministerial powers to allow unauthorized individuals onto the pitch and to create a stressful environment for Messi, prompting him to leave and disappointing thousands of fans.
“The then Hon’ble Minister of Sports, Government of West Bengal, Shri Aroop Biswas, compelled me to provide around 22,000 complimentary tickets (including VVIP, VIP, Regular), which were later sold for a profit.
“Moreover, Aroop Biswas persistently pressured me to issue an additional 10,000 access passes, enabling his associates to enter the Field of Play and be close to Lionel Messi,” Dutta mentioned in his complaint.
Dutta alleged that the minister and his associates disregarded all security protocols during Messi’s time on the field, despite prior discussions and warnings from high-ranking officials within the state police.
“It appeared that Shri Aroop Biswas physically approached Lionel Messi during the live programme, insisting on unscheduled photographs and interactions with Shri Santanu Basu and others.
“This conduct and physical proximity caused visible discomfort and serious security concerns for Lionel Messi and his international security team,” Dutta asserted in his complaint.
Referring to his statement on social media after the event, in which he stated that ticket refunds would be issued to fans, Dutta claimed this was not voluntary but rather made under pressure, intimidation, and coercion.
“In essence, I was made a scapegoat for the wrongdoings of the influential persons mentioned,” Dutta said in his complaint.
Dutta expressed that the complaint is the first step toward addressing the “wrongs” done to him by those who “abused their power and escaped unscathed.”
“I intend to file two civil suits in court, each seeking ₹50 crores, against the former sports minister and others. The first will be for damages incurred, and the second will be a defamation suit to repair my tarnished image,” Dutta stated.
(Edited by : Juviraj Anchil)
