MessiTour – Calcutta High Court Grants Interim Relief to Aroop Biswas in Event Probe
MessiTour – The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday provided temporary protection from any coercive action against former West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas in connection with an investigation linked to the Lionel Messi event held in Kolkata last year. The relief will remain in force until August 17, while the inquiry into the matter continues under judicial supervision.
Court Imposes Conditions Alongside Protection
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya clarified that the investigation would proceed without interruption and directed authorities to continue examining the allegations in accordance with the law. The court stated that if investigators require Biswas to appear, they must issue a notice at least 48 hours in advance. In return, Biswas has been instructed to respond to all such notices and cooperate fully with the ongoing inquiry.
The court further noted that any failure to comply with investigative requirements could be brought before the judiciary by the police. The interim protection, therefore, does not exempt the former minister from participating in the investigation process.
Restrictions on Travel and Movement
As part of the conditions attached to the relief, Biswas has been directed to deposit his passport before a lower court within seven days. The court also restricted his movement outside his residential jurisdiction unless prior permission is obtained from the appropriate judicial authority.
These measures were introduced to ensure that the investigation proceeds smoothly while maintaining oversight of the accused individual’s movements during the inquiry period.
Inquiry Linked to Messi Event in Kolkata
The case stems from alleged irregularities surrounding Lionel Messi’s “GOAT India Tour” event conducted at Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake on December 13 last year. Reports indicated that crowd-control problems created disorder at the venue, eventually raising security concerns that reportedly resulted in the football icon leaving earlier than planned.
During the hearing, the High Court observed that similar events in other cities had reportedly concluded without major complications. The court remarked that the disturbance in Kolkata had negatively affected the city’s public image and stressed that granting interim protection should not be viewed as reducing the seriousness of the allegations under investigation.
Questions Raised Over Event Arrangements
The bench also sought explanations regarding the circumstances that led to the disruption. It questioned why difficulties emerged in Kolkata when comparable events elsewhere were conducted without incident.
Arguments presented before the court included claims regarding ticket distribution for the programme. Counsel representing event organiser Satadru Dutta stated that approximately 70,000 tickets had been issued for the event. It was further alleged that around 22,000 tickets were obtained by Aroop Biswas for distribution within his Assembly constituency.
The organiser’s legal team also alleged that several tickets were distributed through various clubs. These claims are expected to form part of the broader investigation being carried out by the authorities.
Police Directed to Conduct Neutral Investigation
The High Court instructed the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate to carry out an impartial and comprehensive inquiry into the entire episode. Investigators have been asked to determine the reasons behind the reported organisational failures and crowd-management issues that affected the programme.
The court has additionally directed the police to submit a detailed investigation report within four weeks, allowing judicial review of the findings at a later stage.
Arrest Concerns Led to Court Petition
Biswas approached the High Court after expressing concerns about possible arrest in the case. His lawyer, Kishore Dutta, informed the court that the former minister sought legal protection due to apprehensions arising from the ongoing investigation.
The matter gained further attention after police registered a First Information Report based on a complaint filed by Satadru Dutta, the principal organiser of the Messi event. The complaint reportedly named Biswas along with several other individuals, leading to the present legal proceedings and court-monitored investigation.