Messi India Tour | Kolkata Court Remands Organiser Satadru Dutta To 2 Weeks Police Custody After Salt Lake Stadium Chaos

A Bidhannagar court on Sunday refused bail to Satadru Dutta — the promoter and chief organiser of the Lionel Messi “G.O.A.T. India Tour” event in Kolkata — and remanded him to 14 days' police custody in connection with the chaos and vandalism that erupted at Salt Lake Stadium during the Kolkata leg of the tour.

Dutta was detained at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Saturday and was subsequently arrested.

The police action follows large-scale unrest at the Salt Lake stadium in which irate spectators broke into the pitch causing damage to stadium property after being unable to view the players, claiming gross mismanagement by the organisers.

It was claimed that the footballers were surrounded on all sides, obscuring the view of paying customers in the stands.

It was also claimed that inspite of the program being scheduled for a couple of hours, the players were led off the pitch within a few minutes of arriving, after taking a few pictures.

The state government has set up a commission led by Retd Justice Ashim Kr Ray, to review the events, as announced by CM Mamata Banerjee.

Authorities have said they are investigating alleged security lapses and organisational failures and have indicated that ticket-holders should be refunded as part of relief measures.

The remand order and the refusal of bail were pronounced by the Bidhannagar court when the police sought custody.

Dutta's counsel argued that their client was being “victimised and framed” and urged for leniency; the prosecution opposed bail, stressing the need for custodial interrogation to uncover the sequence of events and identify those responsible for the violence and property damage.

The court acceded to the police prayer and directed that Dutta be produced again as per statutory timelines.