Kolkata – Fresh details emerging from the investigation into the chaotic Messi Kolkata event at Salt Lake Stadium have revealed significant organizational failures and security lapses that led to widespread disorder on December 13. The arrested main organizer, Satadru Dutta, has made several critical disclosures during questioning by the Special Investigation Team, shedding light on what went wrong during the high-profile appearance of the football legend.
Footballer’s Discomfort With Physical Contact
One of the most significant revelations from the Messi Kolkata event investigation concerns the footballer’s personal boundaries. Dutta informed investigators that Lionel Messi was profoundly unhappy with being touched or hugged during his stadium appearance. Foreign security officials had explicitly communicated in advance that the Argentine star does not appreciate being touched on the back or embraced by anyone.
Despite repeated public announcements requesting attendees to maintain appropriate distance and restrain themselves, Messi found himself surrounded by people on the field during the Messi Kolkata event. The overwhelming breach of personal space and security protocols prompted the football icon to depart earlier than the scheduled program timeline, disappointing thousands of spectators who had purchased expensive tickets specifically to see him.
Ground Pass Numbers Tripled Unexpectedly
The organizational breakdown at the Messi Kolkata event began with a dramatic expansion of access permissions. According to Dutta’s testimony, organizers initially issued only 150 ground passes for controlled access to the field area. This limited number was designed to maintain manageable crowd control and ensure security protocols could be properly enforced throughout the event.
However, the situation deteriorated rapidly when an unnamed “very influential person” arrived at Salt Lake Stadium and allegedly overpowered the organizer’s authority. The Messi Kolkata event access was suddenly tripled, with approximately 450 people gaining ground passes instead of the originally planned 150. Dutta stated this unexpected expansion completely disrupted the entire flow chart and operational planning of the program, leaving organizers unable to effectively control access to the ground area where Messi was scheduled to appear.
Investigation Focuses on Influential Figure’s Role
Investigators examining the Messi Kolkata event are now scrutinizing Dutta’s assertion about the influential person whose arrival directly contributed to the catastrophic breakdown of crowd management systems. The Special Investigation Team is particularly interested in understanding whether this intervention led to unauthorized access that subsequently worsened the security lapse.
Police are examining how dozens of people managed to get dangerously close to Messi during the Messi Kolkata event, breaching multiple security perimeters. The identity of this influential figure and their exact role in expanding access beyond planned limits remains a central focus of the ongoing investigation, as authorities seek to establish accountability for the chaos that ensued.
Minister’s Proximity and Subsequent Resignation
West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas’s involvement in the Messi Kolkata event has come under intense scrutiny following the incident. Visual evidence from the event shows Biswas in extremely close proximity to the footballer throughout the program, including photographs where the minister is seen holding Messi around the waist while posing for pictures.
The minister has faced serious accusations of using his official position and influence to allow relatives and personal acquaintances unauthorized access to Messi during the Messi Kolkata event. As criticism mounted and the investigation intensified, Biswas took the decision to resign from his ministerial post, pending the completion of the Special Investigation Team’s inquiry into all aspects of the event’s mismanagement and security failures.
Financial Details and Frozen Assets Revealed
The financial arrangements surrounding the Messi Kolkata event have also emerged as a significant aspect of the investigation. Dutta disclosed that Lionel Messi received ₹89 crore as payment for his India tour appearance, while an additional ₹11 crore was paid as tax to the government, bringing the total expenditure to ₹100 crore for organizing the event.
According to the organizer’s statement regarding the Messi Kolkata event financing, approximately 30 percent of the required funds came from corporate sponsors, while another 30 percent was generated through ticket sales to eager fans. Investigators have discovered and frozen over ₹20 crore in Dutta’s bank accounts and seized numerous documents from his residence as part of their financial investigation.
Police are currently verifying Dutta’s claim that the frozen money originated legitimately from ticket sales and sponsorship agreements for the Messi Kolkata event. Thousands of spectators had purchased high-priced tickets expecting to witness Messi’s appearance, but the program descended into complete chaos as the footballer became barely visible from the gallery sections, triggering widespread anger among disappointed fans and subsequent vandalism throughout the stadium premises.
Ongoing Investigation Into Multiple Violations
The Special Investigation Team continues its comprehensive probe into the Messi Kolkata event, examining multiple dimensions including vandalism, security lapses, access violations, and the specific roles played by organizers and government officials in the incident. The investigation aims to establish complete accountability for the failures that transformed a celebrated sporting event into a chaotic and disappointing experience for thousands of fans.
