Lionel Messi sends E-Mail to Kolkata Police giving Satadru Dutta Clean Chit, Aroop Biswas indirectly Blamed for Entire Chaos

Lionel Messi and his team have sent an email to Kolkata's Bidhannagar police Commissionerate, giving a clean chit to organizer Satadru Dutta for the chaos which erupted at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan last year.

The e-mail has further brought a relief to Satadru, who was arrested immediately at the aftermath of the immense chaos which descended at the Kolkata stadium on December 13 last year.

Messi's India Tour kicked off in Kolkata on a sour note as the Argentine left the pitch midway. Thousands of fans paid thousands to watch Messi, but got disgruntled as they were left frustrated and vandalized the stadium. Pandemonium struck Yuba Bharati on that day after Messi left the stadium.

Poor visibility, alleged mismanagement, and heavy security surrounding Messi left supporters disappointed. As he was whisked away early, chaos erupted-fans ripped up seats, hurled plastic chairs, bottles, and objects onto the pitch, stormed the field, and vandalised banners and tents.

The organizer Satadru Dutta was later detained. Then West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee apologized to Messi, who continued his tour in other cities. But former West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas was deemed culpable for the entire chaos, as he has been alleged for giving away passes to people who were by no means supposed to be on the pitch.

Lionel Messi says Satadru Dutta 'Not Responsible' for Chaos

And Dutta's claims have been backed by the e-mail from Messi's team, which has granted the organizer a clean chit.

In my opinion, the unfortunate decision to have to terminate the event early was not in the control of the event promoter, Mr Satadru Dutta and he wasn't responsible for this. Rather, it was a precautionary measure necessitated by the breach of event protocol and security arrangements on the ground by parties that weren't part of the original event plan," the e-mail from Messi's team said.

Is Aroop Biswas the Guilty Party?

It remains a matter of investigation and judgment, but the visuals of Aroop Biswas were harrowing. The former minister was seen lingering around Messi, sometimes grabbing the Argentine's back, as people questioned if Biswas was Messi's childhood friend.

Satadru has blamed the former minister for orchestrating the mismanagement and chaos, as he was accused of major lapses in planning, allowing unauthorised entry and VIP and political interference that blocked fan views. Dutta also filed an FIR accusing Biswas of black-marketing around 22,000 tickets. Amid this, Biswas has been summoned by police multiple times, but he has avoided citing health issues.