Chief organiser of ‘Messi event’ sent to 14 days of police custody
Kolkata: Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi’s event, was remanded to 14 days of police custody on Sunday as investigators visited the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, popularly known as Salt Lake stadium, and launched their probe into the vandalism at the stadium.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, one of the members of the panel, told reporters the committee was hopeful about submitting the report after 15 days.
The three-member team examined broken plastic chairs, twisted metal barricades and littered galleries during their on-ground inspection of the stadium, one of India’s largest football arenas, they said.
Led by Calcutta High Court retired judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, the committee members started their inspection from the point where Messi had entered the stadium, and tried to trace his movement, the officials said.
“We are hopeful about submitting the report after 15 days. The incident took place yesterday, and we are here the next day to take stock of the situation. Give us some time,” he said.
Pant said videography of different parts of the venue was conducted during the day and will be done as per the requirements of the investigation later on.
Justice (Retd) Ray said: “Today we came and did the inspection. We cannot share any details with media immediately.”
The panel, also comprising Home Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, inspected entry corridors, security arrangements during the December 13 event and adjoining galleries, they said.
The inquiry committee has been tasked with fixing responsibility for the lapses in planning, security, and crowd control, and recommending corrective measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents at high-profile public events.
Cleaning and restoration work were halted to allow the panel to assess the scale of damage and reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the chaos, one of the officials said.
Earlier in the day, Dutta was produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (ACJM) Court in Bidhannagar, where the prosecution sought his custodial interrogation. As he was brought to court, scenes of public anger unfolded outside, with a group of people shouting at him and waving slippers and shoes.
During the hearing, the public prosecutor described Dutta as the key figure behind the entire episode, arguing that, as the principal organiser, he was responsible for everything that transpired at the Salt Lake stadium on Saturday.
The court subsequently granted 14 days of police remand, allowing investigators to question him in detail as they examine the circumstances surrounding the controversial event.
However, Opposing the claims of the public prosecutor, the defence counsel, Dyutimoy Bhattacharya, appealed for Dutta’s bail, which was later rejected. After the hearing, the ACJM, Bidhannagar, remanded Dutta to police custody.
Bhattacharya said: “My client has been held liable for everything which is not correct. He was not involved in any such activities”.
What was supposed to be a marquee football spectacle turned into widespread violence and disorder at the stadium on Saturday after Messi’s brief and tightly ring-fenced appearance, his first at the venue since 2011, left large sections of the crowd frustrated, as they failed to catch a glimpse of their superstar despite having travelled from far and wide, paying hefty sums for tickets.
An FIR has been registered, and the police have arrested the main organiser on charges of mismanagement and public disorder.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had, on Saturday, apologised to Messi and football fans and announced the formation of a high-level committee to ensure accountability.
Meanwhile, Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the site for a first-hand experience of what happened on Saturday and called for a judicial inquiry.
Bose also stated that he will submit a report to all the stakeholders like the state government and the Centre.
Moreover, while Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari demanded a court-monitored investigation into the chaos, the Trinamool Congress, in a sharp attack on the BJP over the chaos, alleged a pattern of deliberate provocation aimed at tarnishing Bengal’s image.
In a strongly worded post, the Trinamool Congress said: “Shame on you, BJP! The visuals from Yuva Bharati show a familiar pattern of provocation. Amid confusion and vandalism, saffron flags were waved and slogans were raised, deepening unrest instead of easing it.” The party further alleged that this was part of a repeated tendency to defame Bengal during moments of crisis, adding that such attempts now stand “fully exposed.”
