Court rejects bail plea of Satadru Dutta; Prosecutor flags fraud of 23 crores

The Bidhannagar Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) court has rejected the bail plea of Satadru Dutta, the primary organiser of Lionel Messi's 'GOAT India Tour' in Kolkata. Dutta, who appeared in court on Sunday holding a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, has been sent to judicial custody until January 9, 2026. The decision follows the completion of his initial 14-day police remand, during which investigators probed the massive chaos and alleged financial irregularities surrounding the December 13 event at Salt Lake Stadium.

In a series of startling revelations, the public prosecutor informed the court that the event's mismanagement appeared to be "pre-planned." The police alleged that Dutta had finalised catering and beverage contracts as early as November, well before obtaining official government permissions on December 12. Furthermore, the prosecution highlighted a major financial discrepancy, claiming Dutta received ₹60 lakh in cash against a formal contract valued at only ₹40 lakh, part of an alleged ₹23 crore corruption trail.

The investigation has also raised doubts about the nature of the ticket sales and the football icon's brief appearance. According to police data, nearly 35,000 tickets were sold, generating a revenue of approximately ₹19 crore. However, investigators are questioning why Messi left the field within just 20 minutes of his scheduled hour-long stay. The police suggested to the court that this early exit might have been pre-determined to avoid further scrutiny during the unfolding chaos.

The state government’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) and a separate inquiry committee led by Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray are currently examining the security lapses that led to fans vandalising stadium property worth ₹2 crore. While Dutta’s counsel argued that the event was handled by professionals and the chaos was a result of VIP pressure, the court sided with the prosecution's concerns over Dutta's potential influence and the severity of the financial allegations.