Rapid Action Force and police struggled to control a chaotic scene at Salt Lake Stadium as frustrated fans vandalized the venue during Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 in Kolkata on December 13. This incident has prompted a special investigation team (SIT) inquiry, which the Calcutta High Court has chosen not to intervene in for now.
During preliminary hearings, the Division Bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, determined that there was insufficient material indicating that the investigation was compromised. The court dismissed calls from the petitioners, who filed three public interest litigations (PILs), to transfer the probe to the CBI and demanded ticket refunds for fans who felt cheated when chaos led to Messi’s early departure from the event.
Eyewitness accounts revealed a throng of individuals pushing toward Messi, obstructing views for those in the stands. Amidst calls for immediate redress, the court stated that it was premature to intervene and would wait for the SIT to complete its investigation.
Notably, the Bench, which also included Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, affirmed that an investigation cannot simply be switched to another agency based on allegations. Such decisions require concrete evidence demonstrating a flawed investigation process. A timeline has been set for both the state government and event organizers to present their responses within four weeks, while the petitioners have two weeks to reply.
The West Bengal government’s counsel emphasized that the state had not sold the tickets for the event, which was managed by a private company. He asserted that a thorough investigation is underway and mentioned that the state’s director general of police had received a show cause letter due to the incident.
In connection with the chaos, Satadru Dutta, the head of the event management company, was arrested immediately following the program. Dutta’s legal representation expressed confusion over how such a large crowd circumvented security protocols since the police were responsible for controlling access.
The events featuring Messi had proceeded without incident in other cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. Billwadal Bhattacharya, representing one of the petitioners, raised questions about the event’s funding and requested a court-ordered investigation by a competent central agency. Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, also representing a petitioner, criticized the state’s inquiry committee, arguing it lacks the authority of a judicial commission.
In response to the upheaval, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly expressed regret and announced the establishment of a committee, comprising a retired judge and top state officials, to address the fallout from the event. This incident has reignited discussions about event management and crowd control measures in large public gatherings.
As the situation unfolds, the courts and government are under pressure to ensure accountability and restore public confidence in event management, particularly in high-profile scenarios involving international celebrities like Messi. The next hearing is scheduled for the week of February 16, keeping the public and stakeholders invested in the outcome.
Published – December 23, 2025, 11:42 am IST.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/messi-event-fiasco-calcutta-high-court-refuses-to-interfere-in-sit-probe/article70428633.ece
Category : Kolkata
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Publish Date: 2025-12-23 11:42:00
