Messi show organiser threatens 100 crore defamation on TMC, Aroop

Lionel Messi India tour organiser Satadru Dutta has threatened to file a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against the Trinamool Congress over the controversy surrounding the football event held at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata last year. In a series of social media posts, Dutta alleged that the party ruined three years of his hard work and defamed him after the incident. He specifically blamed former state sports minister Aroop Biswas for the disruption at the stadium and said legal action would be pursued till the end.

Dutta alleged that repeated warnings regarding crowd management and photography inside the venue were ignored during the event. “Repeatedly, I told him not to click pictures here. But he used his power and went on to take photos. He will have to pay for this,” Dutta stated in one of his posts. He also claimed that political influence was used to gain unauthorised access to restricted areas inside the stadium.

The football event at Salt Lake Stadium had turned chaotic after large sections of the crowd allegedly failed to get a proper opportunity to see Lionel Messi despite purchasing tickets priced between Rs 4,300 and Rs 25,000. Messi, accompanied by former footballers Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, reportedly left the stadium shortly after entering the ground amid disorder and security concerns. Incidents of vandalism and damage to stadium property were also reported following the disruption.

Dutta further alleged that members of his organising team were pressured to issue ground access cards and claimed that the event was disrupted through intimidation and interference. He stated that his team had faced restrictions during the programme and alleged that the entire event management process had been affected by unauthorised intervention. He also announced plans to hold a press conference to disclose additional details regarding the controversy.

Following the incident, Dutta was arrested at Kolkata airport on December 14 and remained in custody for 38 days before being released in January. He stated that the controversy damaged years of preparation related to the event and disappointed football fans who had attended the programme. The event had earlier drawn criticism over crowd management and security arrangements at the stadium.