‘Messi fiasco’: Former TMC minister Aroop Biswas asked to appear before police tomorrow

2 min readKolkataJun 7, 2026 01:00 PM IST

Angry fans in Kolkata invade the pitch at Salt Lake Stadium after Lionel Messi left after a brief appearance during the GOAT Tour. (File Photo)

The Bidhannagar (South) police Friday summoned former Trinamool minister Aroop Biswas in connection with the Messi event chaos probe.

Aroop Biswas has been asked to appear before the police on Monday. This is the second time that the former sports minister has been summoned for the investigation into the Salt Lake stadium fiasco during footballer Messi’s visit last year. He was issued a summons based on a complaint filed by Satadru Dutta, the organiser of Messi’s event in Kolkata. The former minister was earlier ordered to appear for questioning by June 5. However, he did not appear before the police by the cut-off date.

Aroop Biswas, through his advocate, requested the Bidhannagar South police station for a two-week extension for the appearance deadline, citing his physical illness.

The Messi case file was reopened immediately after the change of government in West Bengal. Dutta, who was arrested in the wake of the Messi event fiasco, pointed fingers at the former sports minister after he was released on bail. Subsequently, Dutta lodged a formal police complaint against Aroop Biswas and his sister-in-law Jui Biswas. He also filed a complaint against the then-DGP Rajeev Kumar.

Charges filed

An FIR has been registered against Aroop Biswas and others under five sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: Sections 3(5) (common intention), 308(2) (extortion), 318(4) (cheating), 351(2) (criminal intention/criminal trespass), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy).

Background

In December 2025, chaos broke out at the Salt Lake Stadium (Yuva Bharati Krirangan) during Messi’s event. Leaders, ministers, VVIPs, and their family members made attempts to get up close and take photos with Messi. According to the complaint, then-sports minister Aroop Biswas had threatened and extorted tickets and passes from Dutta. Due to the mismanagement allegedly caused by politicians and ministers, Messi and his team left the field after spending just 15 to 20 minutes.

Spectators, who had bought tickets worth thousands of rupees, could not even catch a proper glimpse of Messi, triggering widespread outrage. Disgruntled fans threw bottles from the galleries, while many breached the pitch and resorted to vandalism.

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.

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Lionel Messi

Salt Lake Stadium