Messi Event Organiser Held Till Jan 9 Amid Probe into ₹23 Cr Scam
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A Kolkata court has extended the police custody of Satadru Dutta, the chief organiser of Lionel Messi's ill-fated event in West Bengal, until January 9. Dutta is accused of mismanaging the Salt Lake stadium event on December 13, which descended into chaos after Messi's brief appearance. According to the police, Dutta allegedly made unauthorized deals with food and beverage suppliers worth ₹23 crore and received ₹60 lakh in cash, while the official contract value was ₹40 lakh. The investigation also revealed that tickets worth ₹19 crore were sold, with over 34,000 tickets purchased. The police claim that Dutta's event management was pre-planned and that he wielded significant influence, which is why his bail plea was rejected. The prosecution emphasized the need for further probe into financial transactions and arrangements made for the event. The Messi event, which was supposed to be a marquee football spectacle, turned violent after fans, who had paid up to ₹20,000 for tickets, ran riot at the stadium after failing to catch a glimpse of their favorite superstar. The event has come under scrutiny, with the police pointing out that no professional sports event management company was appointed for the Kolkata programme, unlike in three other cities.
