Calcutta High Court grants interim protection to ex-minister Aroop Biswas in Messi event case

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted former Sports Minister Aroop Biswas interim protection in a case related to the chaos during football great Lionel Messi’s Kolkata visit last December.

Justice Sougata Bhattacharjee ordered that no coercive steps be taken against Biswas at this time without the leave of the court till August 17.

The court further allowed the investigating agency to continue with the investigation in accordance with the law.

The case file was reopened immediately after the BJP took office in the state based on the complaint of Satadru Dutta, who organised Messi’s event at the Salt Lake Stadium on December 14, last year. According to the complaint, Biswas had allegedly threatened and extorted passes from Dutta. Due to the chaos and mismanagement allegedly caused by politicians and ministers, Messi and his team left the field after spending just 15 to 20 minutes.

The police summoned Biswas to appear before them on Monday morning after he skipped the summons for Friday, June 5.

“Petitioner shall comply with the notices and appear before the agency on a fixed date and time. Failing such compliance, the State can bring this to the notice of the court for an appropriate order. At least 48 hours be given before notice of appearance is issued,” the High Court ordered.

The court had directed Biswas not to leave the city without permission from the court and asked him to cooperate with the investigating agency. “The petitioner should submit his passport to the Jurisdictional Court within seven days from the date,” the bench said.

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The Single Bench further ordered the Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar, to conduct an independent inquiry as to why such incident occurred and submit a report within four weeks.

The court also directed the Director General of Police, West Bengal, to submit a report on the progress of the investigation on the next date, as well as any other criminal proceedings pending before the petitioner.

‘There is a threat to my personal liberty’

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Kishore Dutta, appearing for Aroop Biswas, submitted, “Criminal intimidation, extortion, and cheating. Most are cognizable and non bailable offence. Extortion and cheating cannot go together. No such preliminary enquiry was done. There is a threat to my personal liberty. Give us some protection we will comply with the notice. Please consider whether there is any criminality on the part of the petitioner in terms of the incident.”

‘Is Biswas Messi’s childhood friend?’

The Single Bench observed, “Why are you not complying with 35(3) notice. When will you go?  See the picture (Aroop Biswas holding Messi). Does it not breach the security of the soccer legend? How can he do this?  Is he Messi’s childhood friend? Spreading his hand around the waist of Messi? How did he do this? All the people of Kolkata felt ashamed because of this incident. Proximity card means he can do anything? In all other three cities nothing had happened.”

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Advocate General Surajit Nath Mitra submitted, “The petitioner did not comply with the terms of the summons twice. An anti-bail application was taken out in the Barasat Sessions Court. He should have pressed for pre-arrest bail there. The person is influential; he may tamper with and intimidate the witness, affecting the investigation.”

Advocate Arindam Jana, appearing for Satadru Dutta, submitted, “My family and I were threatened. I was afraid. I was arrested, and so I was late in lodging the complaints. He took 22,000 tickets, accreditation cards, and proximity passes from me.”

The Bidhannagar (South) Police on Friday for the second time summoned the former state sports minister Aroop Biswas in connection with the Messi event fiasco case.

Aroop Biswas, through his advocate, requested the Bidhannagar South police station for a two-week extension for the appearance deadline, citing his physical illness. Notably, one of the notices pasted on Sunday mentions that no medical documents were produced while seeking the extension.

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Dutta, who was arrested in the wake of the Messi event fiasco, also lodged a police complaint against Biswas’ sister-in-law, Jui Biswas, and the then-DGP Rajeev Kumar.

Chaos broke out at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, on December 13 as leaders, ministers, VVIPs, and their family members made attempts to get up close and take photos with Messi. Spectators, who had paid for tickets ranging from Rs 3,800 to Rs 11,800, and many queuing up outside the venue since early morning. complained they 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.