The Bidhannagar court on Monday granted bail to Shatadru Dutta, the prime accused in the Salt Lake stadium chaos case during Lionel Messi’s Kolkata event. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court allowed bail on a personal bond of ₹10,000.
Dutta, the organiser of Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s India tour, was arrested on December 13 following chaos during the event. The primary charge against him is corruption linked to the alleged mismanagement of the programme.
Two separate cases were registered at the Bidhannagar South police station in connection with the incident. Dutta was the sole arrest in the first case, while several others were taken into custody in the second case on charges related to vandalism and arson. According to police estimates, around 35,000 spectators had purchased tickets to witness Messi’s visit, with ticket sales amounting to approximately ₹19 crore.
Dutta had earlier been denied bail on the grounds that he could use his influence to flee if released. However, during Monday’s hearing, his counsel argued that the investigation had made no significant progress despite his continued custody, making further detention unnecessary. Accepting this argument, the court granted bail.
Advocating for Dutta, his lawyer Soumyajit Raha told the court that the event had been organised by a fully professional company in coordination with the administration and all relevant departments. He stated that the company had a track record of successfully conducting international-level events across the country. Raha also informed the court that a No Objection Certificate (NOC) had been obtained from the Bidhannagar authorities on November 7, prior to the event.
While acknowledging that the situation spiralled out of control on the day of the programme, the defence maintained that the administration subsequently constituted an investigation committee and initiated appropriate action. It was also argued that the organising company had not violated any established rules or norms.
Meanwhile, questions continue to be raised over the role of senior TMC leader and the then sports minister Aroop Biswas in the incident. Biswas was seen in close proximity to Messi during the event, and allegations surfaced that he had used his influence to allow relatives and acquaintances entry into the stadium. Amid mounting pressure, Biswas stepped down from his ministerial post pending the completion of the investigation.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is currently probing how a large number of people gained access to the field, who authorised the issuance of additional entry passes, and who was responsible for the alleged lapses in security arrangements at the stadium.
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