Kolkata Court sends Messi G.O.A.T tour organiser  Satadru Dutta Sent to a 14 days Police Custody

Satadru Dutta, the promoter behind Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour 2025, appeared in Bidhannagar Court on Sunday and sent to 14 days of police custody, following the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.

Following the incident, CV Ananda Bose visited the stadium today along with West Bengal Chief Secretary Dr Manoj Pant to assess the situation and inspect the damage caused by angry fans during the event.

What was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime event turned disorderly when Messi’s brief appearance left many fans unable to see him. The stadium quickly became overcrowded, with politicians, VIPs, and security personnel surrounding the football star. Frustration among fans boiled over, and some sections of the stadium experienced vandalism.

Dutta, who has previously brought football legends like Pelé and Diego Maradona to India, was detained at Kolkata airport while trying to see Messi and his team off to Hyderabad. Before the event, he had expressed excitement about Messi’s return to India after 14 years, calling it a great opportunity for fans and a boost for Indian football.

During the incident, Dutta pleaded with people to clear the area around Messi. “Please leave him alone. Please vacate the ground,” he said over the public address system, his voice breaking with emotion. However, the crowd and officials continued to surround the player, making the situation worse.

Following the incident, Jawed Shamim, Additional Director General (Law and Order), confirmed that legal action had been initiated. “The FIR has been lodged, and the chief organiser has been arrested. They are promising that they will return the ticket fee to fans. We will see how it can be done,” Shamim said. 

West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said the detention was linked to suspected lapses in event management. “We are looking into whether there was any mismanagement from the organiser’s side, which led to the chaos at the stadium. He has been detained, and the police have now brought the situation under control,” Kumar said. 

According to the DGP, the organiser has also given a written assurance that ticket prices would be refunded to disappointed spectators. 

 

(With inputs from ANI)